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"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their fourth member."

There's just a single issue: The sender also desires to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple high-profile fans have openly begged for the honor.

It's clear an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy Award contenders.

Similar to the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit gang. Their music videos often show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," states Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the greatest honour. That is recognition in itself. We have succeeded if we can encourage people to make music."

"And thus anyone are welcome to be the next Haim sister."

Historic Nod

The trio have called into home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're currently celebrating the news it's been in the running for a top rock honor at the Grammys – with Haim the very first female band ever in consideration for the prize.

"I tune into the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this right or am I imagining things'?"

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

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge achievement," adds Alana. "However we're just grateful for the women that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Humour

The record came out of a phase of personal change. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to move on.

The words follow endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real time who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Refinement of Music

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

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the percussion.

"Drums are such a specific thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our memoir," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Laughter

The band's candor fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.

One man ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Future

One can easily sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with successful albums and an global following.

Yet the band will always be their primary priority.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was four," shares Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."