All Fans is Encouraged to Become the Fourth Haim Member.
"When are you speaking to the band?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
There's just a key snag: The author likewise desires to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several famous admirers have also coveted the honor.
The evidence suggests something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at small eateries with their family. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy nominees.
Similar to the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals repeatedly show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such pure exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the greatest compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"And thus all are welcome to be the next member of Haim."
Award Recognition
The trio have called into home, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in contention for the trophy.
"I tune into the lists every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the accolade resonates with the trio.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The record emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to let go.
The lyrics track endings and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That newfound confidence required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and immediate than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's honesty fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal horror stories.
A former partner ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
One can easily sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an global audience.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their number one priority.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."
