All Fans is Encouraged to Join as the Extra Haim Sisters Member.

The Haim sisters performing together
Haim: "Playing music together is where our heart and soul will forever be found."

"When are you interviewing Haim?" a text pops up. "My request was to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There's just a single issue: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. A host of high-profile supporters have also begged for the honor.

It's clear something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at small eateries with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy nominees.

Like all the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable gang. Their videos repeatedly depict them marching in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I want to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," states Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the biggest honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire people to start a band."

"And thus anyone is invited to be the fourth Haim sister."

Haim performing at a large festival
The group's live shows have helped them ascend to headliner status of major events across the world.

Grammy Recognition

The trio are connecting from home, where they're taking a pause after an lengthy tour in support of their new album, I Quit.

They're presently reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the trophy.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I hallucinating'?"

The significance of the accolade resonates with the sisters.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the pioneers that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Laughter

The project was born from a phase of transition. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

The lyrics detail departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in real life who they aspire to be.

"I love way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a mantra. You have to actively work on blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Haim album covers and career milestones
The group won a major new artist survey in 2013, and have later scored multiple chart-topping albums.

Development of Sound

That newfound toughness called for a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drum sound.

"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our book," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."

Haim in the studio working on music
I Quit refines the band's trademark blend, mixing guitar-driven rock with hip-hop adjacent rhythms and catchy pop tunes.

Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie

The trio's openness shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal tales.

A former partner left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."

Haim on stage during their recent tour
The band recently wrapped up a six-month tour, but say they aim to hit the road in the coming years.

A Confident Path

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their place in the industry.

They're major draws, with hit albums and an international fan base.

However the sister act will always be their number one commitment.

"We have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still kicking."

Rhonda Kennedy
Rhonda Kennedy

Elara Voss is a storyteller and cultural critic exploring the intersection of technology and creativity.