Everyone is Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Sisters Member.
"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
However, there remains a single issue: The sender also wants to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are not alone. A host of high-profile admirers have also petitioned for the position.
The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award nominees.
In the tradition of the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals repeatedly depict them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such pure joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate young girls to form a group."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the next Haim sister."
Historic Milestone
The trio have called into their homes, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I watch the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"
The importance of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.
"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that inspired us."
Heartbreak and Candor
The project was born from a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.
The lyrics follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.
"I love summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Development of Sound
That newfound toughness demanded a fresh approach – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drums.
"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I care so much about it," she emphasizes.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our biography," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The trio's openness shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their dating misadventures.
A former partner left Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Path
You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their position in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide following.
However the band will consistently be their number one focus.
"We have been making music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still going strong."