Everyone is Welcome to Join as the Fourth Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their extra sister."
However, there remains a single issue: The author likewise wants to be Haim's newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. A host of celebrated fans have publicly coveted the honor.
One thing is obvious a special quality is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
Similar to the best groups, they're a close unit. Their videos often feature them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest honor. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage young girls to start a band."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the next part of the family."
Award Milestone
The band are speaking from a break, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in for their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in contention for the award.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The weight of the accolade is deeply felt by the band.
"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major achievement," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Heartbreak and Candor
The record emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to let go.
The themes detail departures and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.
"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to make an effort in shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That recent toughness called for a fresh approach – more raw and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the drum sound.
"The drum sound is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's honesty shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating tales.
Someone left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more assured of their position in the industry.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.
But the band will consistently be their primary focus.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was a young child," says Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still going strong."