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

However, there remains a key snag: The sender also longs to be the Haims' additional sibling. What's more, we are in plentiful company. A host of famous supporters have openly coveted the role.

The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.

In the tradition of the greatest groups, they're a tight-knit trio. Their music videos repeatedly depict them striding in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such boundless joy you inevitably think, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "It is the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire others to form a group."

"And thus anyone are welcome to be the honorary part of the family."

Historic Milestone

The group are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

They're presently reeling from the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in contention for the trophy.

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

The significance of the honor isn't lost on the trio.

"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant milestone," adds Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Candor

The project came out of a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're relieved to be free, but not yet ready to let go.

The lyrics detail breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them determining in real life who they want to be.

"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a mantra. You have to consciously practice ignoring the outside opinions and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Evolution of Music

That newfound resilience called for a different sonic direction – more raw and immediate than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that was founded on the drums.

"The drum sound is such a specific thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.

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

Experiences and Collective Laughter

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

One man broke up with Este over a health consideration. Alana told 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 setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

An Assured Path

You can clearly sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're top-billed acts, with hit albums and an worldwide audience.

But Haim will consistently be their primary focus.

"We have been playing music since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still kicking."