The World is Encouraged to Become the Additional Haim Sisters Member.
"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can be their fourth member."
However, there remains a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple famous admirers have publicly petitioned for the role.
It's clear something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy contenders.
Like all the greatest groups, they're a close trio. Their videos often feature them marching in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a guitar'," says Alana, the most junior of the trio. "It is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to make music."
"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Historic Milestone
The band are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The significance of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," says Alana. "But we're just thankful for the women that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The project came out of a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The words follow departures and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.
"I love description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That newfound toughness demanded a fresh approach – more raw and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie
The band's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
One man broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
A Confident Future
It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international fan base.
But the band will always be their number one focus.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," concludes Alana. "There is nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."