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"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There's just one problem: I also desires to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several famous admirers have also begged for the honor.

It's clear something is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy hopefuls.

Like all the most iconic ensembles, they're a close unit. Their visuals frequently show them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," states Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That's the biggest compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage others to form a group."

"So all are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."

Historic Milestone

The group are speaking from home, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their fourth 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 consideration for the prize.

"I follow the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I imagining things'?"

The weight of the honor is deeply felt by the trio.

"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a major achievement," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."

Heartbreak and Humour

The album emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that odd in-between place where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The words track breakups and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they want to be.

"That's a perfect summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to make an effort in blocking the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That recent resilience called for a new sound – more unpolished and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drums.

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

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

Anecdotes and Collective Laughter

The trio's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.

Someone left Este over a medical concern. Alana told 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 light," explains Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."

A Confident Future

You can clearly sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an international audience.

But Haim will consistently be their number one focus.

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