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"When are you speaking to the band?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There's just a key snag: I also wants to be Haim's additional sibling. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated supporters have publicly coveted the honor.

The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their career playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award nominees.

Similar to the most iconic groups, they're a close gang. Their music videos frequently feature them walking in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I wish to be a piece of that, too."

"How often on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a drum kit'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the greatest honour. That's an award in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage people to form a group."

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

Historic Nod

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

They're currently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the very first all-female band ever in contention for the trophy.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"

The importance of the accolade is deeply felt by the sisters.

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

Heartbreak and Laughter

The project emerged from a phase of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that unique liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

The lyrics track departures and farewells. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.

"I love summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to actively work on ignoring the noise and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Development of Sound

That recent confidence required a different sonic direction – more raw and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the drum sound.

"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she says.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

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

A former partner ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."

An Assured Future

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.

They're festival headliners, with successful albums and an international following.

Yet Haim will consistently be their number one priority.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was a young child," says Alana. "There is nothing else that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still making music."