The World is Welcome to Become the Fourth Haim Sister.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
However, there remains a key snag: The author likewise desires to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile fans have openly begged for the role.
One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their career performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.
Like all the best bands, they're a inseparable gang. Their visuals repeatedly depict them walking in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such boundless happiness you inevitably think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a guitar'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "It is the greatest compliment. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can inspire young girls to make music."
"So all gets an invitation to be the fourth Haim sister."
Award Milestone
The band are speaking from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.
They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in consideration for the award.
"I watch the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the honor resonates with the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that paved the way."
Emotional Upheaval and Candor
The project emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The themes follow departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on ignoring the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Sound
That developed resilience required a new sound – more organic and powerful than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the percussion.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Camaraderie
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their personal misadventures.
One man broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their standing in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an international following.
But the sister act will forever be their primary focus.
"My sisters and I have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."