All Fans is Invited to Join as the Extra Haim Bandmate.
"Any idea when you're speaking to the band?" a message reads. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."
However, there remains one problem: I also desires to be Haim's fourth member. And we're far from alone. Multiple celebrated fans have also petitioned for the role.
It's clear an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their career playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award nominees.
In the tradition of the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals often feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I wish to be part of that, too."
"The numerous instances on tour that fans approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest honour. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire people to make music."
"So everyone gets an invitation to be the next member of Haim."
Grammy Recognition
The trio have called into home, where they're taking a pause after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.
They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in consideration for the prize.
"I watch the nominations every year, so it almost feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the accolade resonates with the sisters.
"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," adds Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that paved the way."
Personal Turmoil and Humour
The album emerged from a phase of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.
The themes track endings and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.
"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That newfound confidence called for a different sonic direction – more organic and direct than anything the band had done before.
For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the percussion.
"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she says.
"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the ideal drum sound."
Experiences and Collective Laughter
The band's honesty inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating misadventures.
Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.
"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their standing in the rock pantheon.
They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an worldwide following.
But the band will forever be their number one commitment.
"My sisters and I have been making music since I was little," says Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still making music."