All Fans is Invited to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: The author likewise wants to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. A host of celebrated supporters have publicly begged for the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at small eateries with their family. Today, they are repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the most iconic ensembles, they're a close trio. Their music videos repeatedly show them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," states Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the ultimate honour. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to start a band."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the fourth part of the family."
Grammy Milestone
The group are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the award.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the accolade is deeply felt by the band.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge milestone," continues Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that came before us."
Heartbreak and Laughter
The project came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The words follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice blocking the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That newfound toughness demanded a fresh approach – more raw and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Humor
The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.
Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Legacy
One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an global following.
But the band will forever be their primary focus.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was little," shares Alana. "It's like no other path that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still making music."