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"When are you chatting with the band?" an inquiry pops up. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There's just a key snag: The author likewise desires to be the Haims' fourth member. And we're far from alone. A host of celebrated admirers have openly petitioned for the position.

It's clear a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award hopefuls.

Like all the most iconic groups, they're a close unit. Their visuals frequently depict them striding in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the sisters. "It is the greatest honour. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire young girls to make music."

"And thus anyone gets an invitation to be the next member of Haim."

Historic Recognition

The band are speaking from their homes, where they're resting up after an major tour in for their new album, I Quit.

They're currently reeling from the news it's been nominated for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the first all-woman band ever in the running for the award.

"I follow the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The significance of the accolade isn't lost on the band.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge achievement," continues Alana. "However we're just grateful for the pioneers that inspired us."

Emotional Upheaval and Laughter

The record emerged from a time of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

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

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Development of Style

That newfound confidence demanded a new sound – more raw and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

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

"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she states.

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

Experiences and Shared Camaraderie

The band's candor shaped the album's rollout, where the sisters disclosed some of their personal misadventures.

Someone ended things with Este over a health consideration. Alana told a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "Thus to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Legacy

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their position in the industry.

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

But the band will forever be their primary commitment.

"We have been playing music since I was four," concludes Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really grateful we've gotten here and we're still going strong."