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"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the band?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

There's just one problem: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're not alone. A host of famous admirers have publicly petitioned for the position.

The evidence suggests something is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their career performing shows at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award nominees.

In the tradition of the best groups, they're a inseparable trio. Their music videos repeatedly depict them striding in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be part of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the biggest honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate young girls to make music."

"So anyone are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."

Award Milestone

The group have called into a break, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.

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

"I follow the nominations every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"

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

"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant milestone," says Alana. "But we're just thankful for the pioneers that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Humour

The album was born from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

The themes detail departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them figuring out in the moment who they want to be.

"I adore way of putting it, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to actively work on blocking the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That recent toughness called for a fresh approach – more unpolished and powerful than anything the band had done before.

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

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

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

Stories and Shared Humor

The band's honesty fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal horror stories.

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

"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."

An Assured Future

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their place in the industry.

They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an international following.

But Haim will consistently be their number one priority.

"My sisters and I have been making music since I was little," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've made it and we're still kicking."