All Fans is Welcome to Become the Additional Haim Member.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
There's just one problem: The author likewise longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're not alone. A host of famous fans have also begged for the position.
The evidence suggests something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy Award nominees.
Similar to the greatest bands, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently show them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the greatest compliment. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to make music."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the next member of Haim."
Grammy Nod
The band are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the nomination is deeply felt by the sisters.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "But we're just grateful for the women that came before us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The lyrics follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Style
That newfound toughness required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drums.
"Drums are such a specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.
Someone broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Future
One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their place in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an global audience.
Yet Haim will always be their top focus.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."