All Fans Are Encouraged to Be the Additional Haim Sisters Sister.
"When are you interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their extra sister."
There is only a single issue: The sender also desires to be Haim's fourth member. And we're in plentiful company. Multiple high-profile supporters have openly coveted the position.
It's clear something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos repeatedly feature them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such pure joy you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be involved in that, too."
"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to make music."
"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."
Award Nod
The trio are connecting from a break, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in the running for the award.
"I watch the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"
The weight of the nomination is deeply felt by the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge milestone," continues Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the pioneers that came before us."
Personal Turmoil and Laughter
The project was born from a phase of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that odd transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The words follow endings and partings. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they aspire to be.
"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Music
That recent toughness required a different sonic direction – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drums.
"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Experiences and Shared Laughter
The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.
One man left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."
An Assured Legacy
One can easily sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the music world.
They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.
But Haim will consistently be their primary focus.
"We have been performing since I was little," shares Alana. "There is no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."