All Fans is Invited to Join as the Additional Haim Sister.
"When are you speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry reads. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."
There is only a single issue: The sender also wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Several famous admirers have openly petitioned for the role.
The evidence suggests something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals frequently feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'After your show, I bought a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to start a band."
"So all gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Historic Recognition
The group are speaking from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in consideration for the trophy.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The importance of the honor is deeply felt by the trio.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "However we're just thankful for the female artists that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Candor
The album came out of a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.
The words track endings and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they are becoming.
"I adore description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Style
That newfound toughness called for a new sound – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that started with the drums.
"Drums are 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," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their dating misadventures.
A former partner left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Confident Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more certain 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 primary commitment.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."