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"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "My request was to ask if I can be their newest bandmate."

There's just a single issue: I also desires to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated fans have also begged for the honor.

The evidence suggests something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at small eateries with their family. Now they're repeated Grammy nominees.

Like all the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit trio. Their visuals repeatedly feature them striding in sync down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire others to form a group."

"Therefore anyone are welcome to be the honorary member of Haim."

Award Recognition

The band are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an major tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the trophy.

"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The importance of the accolade isn't lost on the trio.

"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a significant step," adds Alana. "However we're just thankful for the pioneers that paved the way."

Heartbreak and Candor

The record came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters ended up single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.

The lyrics detail departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.

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

Refinement of Sound

That developed toughness demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that started with the percussion.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our biography," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the perfect drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

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

A former partner broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."

A Confident Future

You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their position in the rock pantheon.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an international following.

But Haim will consistently be their top commitment.

"We have been playing music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It's like no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still kicking."