The World is Invited to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Bandmate.
"When are you chatting with the band?" a message arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There is only a key snag: I also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're not alone. Multiple celebrated admirers have publicly petitioned for the position.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at small eateries with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.
Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their music videos often feature them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the greatest honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to form a group."
"So all are welcome to be the next part of the family."
Historic Nod
The band are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their new 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 very first all-female band ever in the running for the prize.
"I follow the lists every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," explains 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 trio.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The project came out of a time of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The themes follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.
"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to consciously practice shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That developed toughness demanded a different sonic direction – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the right drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Humor
The trio's candor shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.
Someone broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."
A Secure Future
One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide audience.
But Haim will forever be their top commitment.
"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still going strong."