All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Fourth Haim Sister.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. A host of celebrated supporters have openly coveted the honor.
The evidence suggests a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their path performing shows at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy contenders.
In the tradition of the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals frequently show them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless joy you can't help but think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate others to form a group."
"So all is invited to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The trio are speaking from their homes, where they're recovering after an major tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now celebrating the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-female band ever in the running for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the honor isn't lost on the trio.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The project emerged from a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics detail breakups and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in real time who they want to be.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That developed toughness called for a fresh approach – more raw and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The band's openness inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic misadventures.
One man left Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap 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 have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Future
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 hit albums and an international following.
Yet the sister act will always be their primary priority.
"We have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."