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"Do you know when you'll be chatting with the Haim sisters?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can become their fourth member."

There's just one problem: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. A host of famous supporters have openly coveted the honor.

One thing is obvious a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multi-time Grammy nominees.

Like all the best bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently depict them walking in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That is the greatest compliment. That is recognition in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to make music."

"So all are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."

Award Nod

The band have called into home, where they're resting up after an lengthy tour in promoting their new album, I Quit.

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

"I follow the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"

The significance of the nomination resonates with the band.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," continues Alana. "However we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Humour

The album emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that odd liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to move on.

The words 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 time who they aspire to be.

"I love way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Refinement of Music

That newfound toughness required a different sonic direction – more organic and direct than anything the band had done before.

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

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," quips Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Stories and Collective Camaraderie

The trio's honesty shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic misadventures.

A former partner left Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate 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," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."

A Confident Future

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

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

Yet the sister act will forever be their primary commitment.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."