Everyone Are Encouraged to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" a message pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There's just a single issue: The sender also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple celebrated supporters have also coveted the honor.
The evidence suggests something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're repeated Grammy hopefuls.
Similar to the greatest groups, they're a inseparable trio. Their videos repeatedly depict them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."
"How often on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to start a band."
"So anyone is invited to be the next part of the family."
Historic Nod
The group have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammys β with Haim the first all-female band ever in the running for the award.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that inspired us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The record emerged from a phase of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The words track breakups and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in the moment who they aspire to be.
"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to make an effort in blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That recent resilience required a new sound β more unpolished and powerful than anything 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 care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Collective Humor
The band's openness inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.
Yet the sister act will forever be their top commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," says Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."