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"When are you interviewing the band?" a message arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There is only a single issue: The sender also wants to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are far from alone. Multiple celebrated fans have also petitioned for the role.

It's clear a special quality is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Presently, they stand as repeated Grammy Award contenders.

Like all the best bands, they're a close unit. Their visuals often show them marching in unison down the avenues of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'After your show, I got a bass'," states Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the ultimate honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire young girls to make music."

"So anyone are welcome to be the next member of Haim."

Historic Milestone

The band have called into their homes, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in support of their new album, I Quit.

They're presently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for a top rock honor at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the very first all-woman band ever in contention for the prize.

"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the nomination is deeply felt by the band.

"We deliberately set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a huge step," continues Alana. "Yet we're just grateful for the female artists that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Candor

The record emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that odd transitional period where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.

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

"I adore way of putting it, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to consciously practice blocking the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Development of Style

That developed resilience called for a new sound – more unpolished and direct than any of the music the band had done before.

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

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," jokes Alana. "I always say, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

The trio's openness fueled the album's rollout, where the sisters revealed some of their romantic tales.

One man left Este over a health consideration. Alana recalled 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 setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's so amazing."

A Secure Legacy

It's not difficult sense a evolution in the band. These days, Haim are more certain of their standing in the rock pantheon.

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

However the band will consistently be their top priority.

"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was a young child," shares Alana. "It feels as if nothing else that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've made it and we're still kicking."