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"Any idea when you're interviewing the Haim sisters?" a text arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can become their extra sister."

There is only a single issue: I also longs to be Haim's newest recruit. And we're not alone. Several famous admirers have also coveted the role.

The evidence suggests something is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their parents. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award contenders.

Similar to the most iconic ensembles, they're a tight-knit unit. Their videos often feature them striding in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered happiness you find yourself thinking, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that audience members told us and said, 'After your show, I picked up a bass'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the ultimate honor. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can motivate people to start a band."

"And thus all are welcome to be the honorary Haim sister."

Award Recognition

The trio are connecting from their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the first female band ever in the running for the prize.

"I watch the nominations every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"

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

"We deliberately set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge milestone," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the female artists that came before us."

Personal Turmoil and Humour

The record came out of a phase of transition. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to start anew.

The words track endings and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.

"I love description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a slogan. You have to make an effort in ignoring the criticism and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Development of Style

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

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

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Stories and Collective Laughter

The band's openness inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their personal horror stories.

A former partner broke up with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no hope," says Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Path

One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the industry.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an global following.

However the band will forever be their number one priority.

"My sisters and I have been making music since I was four," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were meant to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still going strong."