Everyone is Invited to Be the Fourth Haim Member.

The Haim sisters performing together
Haim: "Being in a rock band is where our heart and soul will forever reside."

"Any idea when you're interviewing Haim?" a message reads. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There's just a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are not alone. Multiple famous fans have publicly begged for the honor.

It's clear something is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Today, they are multi-time Grammy Award hopefuls.

Similar to the most iconic ensembles, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos often feature them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless joy you can't help but think, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I bought a guitar'," states Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the biggest honor. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate others to start a band."

"And thus everyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."

Haim performing at a large festival
The trio's live shows have helped them become staples of major events across the world.

Grammy Milestone

The group are speaking from a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're presently processing the news it's been nominated for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in the running for the award.

"I watch the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The weight of the honor resonates with the trio.

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

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The record came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.

The lyrics follow endings and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've got. You can hear them figuring out in the moment who they want to be.

"I love summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Haim album covers and career milestones
The group claimed victory in a major breakthrough list in 2013, and have subsequently scored four successful albums.

Development of Style

That newfound toughness required a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the drums.

"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."

Haim in the studio working on music
I Quit evolves Haim's characteristic style, merging guitar-driven rock with hip-hop adjacent beats and hooky pop melodies.

Experiences and Collective Laughter

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

One man ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."

Haim on stage during their recent tour
The band recently wrapped up a lengthy tour, but say they aim to hit the road in the future.

An Assured Legacy

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an global fan base.

However the sister act will always be their top commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."

Jim Hart
Jim Hart

Elena is a tech entrepreneur and digital strategist with over a decade of experience in marketplace innovation.

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