The World is Invited to Become 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 extra sister."
There's just one problem: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're far from alone. Multiple celebrated supporters have openly petitioned for the position.
The evidence suggests a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy contenders.
Similar to the most iconic groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their videos repeatedly feature them marching in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such pure exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honor. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"So anyone gets an invitation to be the fourth Haim sister."
Grammy Recognition
The group are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're presently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"
The significance of the nomination isn't lost on the band.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major achievement," adds Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that unique transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to move on.
The words follow breakups and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.
"I love summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to consciously practice shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Development of Music
That newfound confidence called for a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.
One man ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled 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 only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Future
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an international fan base.
But Haim will always be their primary commitment.
"We have been making music since I was little," says Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still kicking."