The World is Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Sisters Member.
"When are you chatting with the band?" a message pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."
There is only one problem: I also longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are not alone. A host of high-profile supporters have publicly petitioned for the honor.
One thing is obvious something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their career playing gigs at small eateries with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy nominees.
In the tradition of the best groups, they're a close unit. Their music videos frequently show them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."
"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate others to start a band."
"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."
Grammy Nod
The trio have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their latest album, I Quit.
They're currently processing the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in the running for the trophy.
"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"
The weight of the accolade is deeply felt by the sisters.
"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."
Emotional Upheaval and Laughter
The album emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music captures that strange in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.
The lyrics follow breakups and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they are becoming.
"That's a perfect description, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to consciously practice shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."
Evolution of Sound
That developed toughness required a new sound – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.
For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drum sound.
"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 biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."
Anecdotes and Shared Laughter
The band's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating misadventures.
A former partner left Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.
"During these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "So to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."
A Secure Legacy
It's not difficult sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their place in the rock pantheon.
They're major draws, with hit albums and an international audience.
However Haim will always be their primary priority.
"My sisters and I have been playing music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."