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"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There is only one problem: The sender also longs to be Haim's fourth member. And we're far from alone. Several high-profile fans have also begged for the role.

The evidence suggests something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Now they're multiple Grammy hopefuls.

Like all the best ensembles, they're a tight-knit trio. Their visuals frequently show them walking in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they play with such boundless happiness you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be involved in that, too."

"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'Watching you live, I got a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That is the greatest honor. That is recognition in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage people to form a group."

"So everyone gets an invitation to be the honorary member of Haim."

Historic Milestone

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

They're right now reeling from the news it's been in the running for Best Rock Album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the prize.

"I watch the lists every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," explains Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I dreaming'?"

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

"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant achievement," continues Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the women that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Laughter

The project was born from a period of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to let go.

The lyrics detail breakups and farewells. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've got. You can hear them working out in real life who they aspire to be.

"I adore way of putting it, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is like a personal statement. You have to make an effort in ignoring the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Evolution of Music

That newfound resilience demanded a different sonic direction – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.

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

"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 subject of our book," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

The band's openness inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters revealed some of their personal misadventures.

A former partner 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 casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Path

One can easily sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more confident of their position in the rock pantheon.

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

But Haim will consistently be their primary priority.

"My sisters and I have been making music since I was little," shares Alana. "There is no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still going strong."