All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Additional Haim Member.
"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" a message pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There's just a key snag: I also wants to be Haim's fourth member. What's more, we are far from alone. A host of high-profile fans have openly coveted the position.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multiple Grammy hopefuls.
Like all the best ensembles, they're a inseparable trio. Their music videos repeatedly show them striding in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the ultimate honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate people to make music."
"Therefore all are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The group are connecting from a break, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.
They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first female band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I tune into the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"
The significance of the honor isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant achievement," says Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Humour
The project came out of a time of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.
The words track endings and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them working out in the moment who they want to be.
"That's a perfect summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."
Refinement of Music
That recent resilience required a fresh approach – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the drum sound.
"Percussion is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," quips Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."
Stories and Collective Humor
The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their dating misadventures.
A former partner broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling 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 no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Future
You can clearly sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an worldwide following.
But the sister act will forever be their primary priority.
"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."