All Fans is Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're speaking to Haim?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
There is only a single issue: The sender also longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile fans have also coveted the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a tight-knit unit. Their videos often show them walking in sync down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they jam with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the ultimate compliment. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to form a group."
"Therefore everyone is invited to be the fourth part of the family."
Historic Nod
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the very 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 announced," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the nomination resonates with the band.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major milestone," continues Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The project emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics detail breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in the moment who they want to be.
"I adore description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to make an effort in blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Music
That developed toughness called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Laughter
The trio's honesty inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal tales.
One man left Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
A Confident Legacy
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their position in the music world.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide following.
But the band will consistently be their number one focus.
"We have been making music since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."
