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

However, there remains a key snag: The sender also wants to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple celebrated fans have publicly petitioned for the position.

One thing is obvious a special quality is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're repeated Grammy contenders.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently show them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such pure exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be part of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "It is the ultimate honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage young girls to make music."

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

Grammy Recognition

The trio are connecting from home, where they're resting up after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're presently reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in contention for the award.

"I follow the announcements 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, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"

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

"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major milestone," adds Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."

Personal Turmoil and Laughter

The album came out of a period of personal change. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music inhabits that strange liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

The themes follow endings and partings. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to make an effort in ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Development of Music

That developed toughness called for a new sound – more raw and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that started with the drum sound.

"Drums are such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.

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

Experiences and Collective Laughter

The trio's openness inspired the album's rollout, where the sisters shared some of their romantic horror stories.

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

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

A Confident Legacy

It's not difficult sense a change in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their place in the industry.

They're top-billed acts, with chart-topping albums and an worldwide fan base.

Yet the band will always be their primary focus.

"We have been playing music since I was four," shares Alana. "It's like nothing else that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."