The World Are Welcome to Be the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the band?" a text reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."
There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated fans have also coveted the honor.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy nominees.
Similar to the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos often show them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That's the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to make music."
"So everyone is invited to be the next Haim sister."
Award Recognition
The band are connecting from home, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in the running for the award.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the nomination isn't lost on the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge achievement," continues Alana. "However we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The record was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that strange transitional period 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 got. You can hear them working out in real life who they aspire to be.
"I love description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Style
That newfound resilience required a new sound – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Shared Camaraderie
The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.
One man ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."
An Assured Legacy
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an global fan base.
But Haim will forever be their number one focus.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was little," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."