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"Any idea when you're chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There is only a key snag: I also wants to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're far from alone. A host of high-profile fans have also petitioned for the honor.

One thing is obvious an irresistible appeal is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at small eateries with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy hopefuls.

In the tradition of the best groups, they're a close gang. Their visuals frequently show them marching in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "That is the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire people to start a band."

"And thus all are welcome to be the fourth member of Haim."

Historic Milestone

The group have called into a break, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're presently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in the running for the prize.

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

The importance of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.

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

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to move on.

The words detail departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in the moment who they want to be.

"That's a perfect way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Evolution of Style

That developed resilience demanded a different sonic direction – more raw and direct than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.

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

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

Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie

The trio's candor shaped the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic horror stories.

Someone broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Legacy

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

They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an global following.

But Haim will forever be their top priority.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."