Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be interviewing Haim?" a text pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their fourth member."
However, there remains a key snag: The sender also desires to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're far from alone. Multiple famous fans have also coveted the honor.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their path doing sets at small eateries with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy hopefuls.
Like all the best groups, they're a inseparable trio. Their videos repeatedly feature them walking in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate people to start a band."
"And thus all gets an invitation to be the honorary member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The group have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the accolade is deeply felt by the trio.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Candor
The album emerged from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that strange transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.
The themes track breakups and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to make an effort in blocking the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That developed toughness demanded a different sonic direction – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating tales.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled 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 heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their position in the music world.
They're major draws, with successful albums and an global audience.
Yet the sister act will consistently be their primary priority.
"We have been performing since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."