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"Do you know when you'll be interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message reads. "My request was to ask if I can join as their extra sister."

However, there remains a key snag: The author likewise longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. What's more, we are far from alone. A host of celebrated supporters have also begged for the position.

It's clear something is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Now they're multi-time Grammy Award contenders.

In the tradition of the best groups, they're a tight-knit unit. Their music videos frequently show them walking in sync down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they play with such unfettered exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that young girls approached us and said, 'After your show, I got a guitar'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That is the greatest honor. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can encourage people to form a group."

"Therefore anyone are welcome to be the fourth Haim sister."

Award Milestone

The band are speaking from home, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in promoting their latest album, I Quit.

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

"I follow the announcements every year, so it almost feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," notes Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The importance of the honor resonates with the trio.

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a major step," continues Alana. "But we're just appreciative for the female artists that came before us."

Heartbreak and Humour

The album emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.

The themes follow breakups and goodbyes. The sisters seek love, but not the specific love they've had. You can hear them determining in real life who they are becoming.

"I adore summary, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Development of Sound

That recent confidence demanded a new sound – more unpolished and direct than anything the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that was founded on the percussion.

"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 name of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums won't commence until we find the right drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Camaraderie

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

Someone ended things with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"During these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's only darkness," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you even crazier stories, it's incredible."

An Assured Path

It's not difficult sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more confident of their standing in the industry.

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

Yet the sister act will forever be their number one priority.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still making music."