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"When are you interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their newest bandmate."

However, there remains a single issue: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile fans have publicly begged for the honor.

One thing is obvious a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Presently, they stand as multi-time Grammy hopefuls.

Like all the most iconic bands, they're a inseparable unit. Their videos often feature them marching in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered happiness you inevitably think, "I wish to be part of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That is the ultimate compliment. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to make music."

"And thus all gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."

Historic Milestone

The trio are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.

They're currently celebrating the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in contention for the trophy.

"I watch the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"

The significance of the nomination resonates with the trio.

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

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The project emerged from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that strange in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.

The themes track departures and partings. The sisters want love, but not the specific love they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.

"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Refinement of Style

That developed confidence demanded a different sonic direction – more unpolished and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

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

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

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

Stories and Shared Camaraderie

The trio's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic misadventures.

Someone broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"When you're going through these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Legacy

It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.

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

But Haim will forever be their top commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was four," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."