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"Any idea when you're speaking to the band?" a message reads. "I was hoping to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There is only a key snag: The sender also wants to be Haim's fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. A host of famous fans have publicly coveted the honor.

It's clear something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're repeated Grammy contenders.

In the tradition of the greatest ensembles, they're a inseparable unit. Their visuals frequently feature them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. During performances, they play with such boundless joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members told us and said, 'Watching you live, I bought a guitar'," says Alana, the youngest of the trio. "That is the biggest compliment. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage others to make music."

"Therefore everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary part of the family."

Grammy Nod

The group are connecting from their homes, where they're taking a pause 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-woman band ever in the running for the award.

"I follow the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the nomination resonates with the sisters.

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

Heartbreak and Humour

The record emerged from a phase of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.

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

"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Development of Music

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

For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that began with the percussion.

"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our biography," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie

The band's honesty shaped the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating horror stories.

One man ended things with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Future

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their position in the music world.

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

Yet the band will always be their top priority.

"We have been making music since I was four," says Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."