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"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There is only a single issue: The author likewise desires to be Haim's additional sibling. And we're not alone. A host of famous fans have openly coveted the role.

The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multiple Grammy Award contenders.

Like all the greatest bands, they're a close unit. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in unison down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless joy you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a guitar'," says Alana, the most junior of the sisters. "That's the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to make music."

"Therefore anyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."

Historic Nod

The trio are speaking from a break, where they're recovering after an extensive tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.

They're right now processing the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in consideration for the award.

"I watch the announcements every year, so it sort of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," explains Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I imagining things'?"

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

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant achievement," says Alana. "However we're just thankful for the pioneers that came before us."

Emotional Upheaval and Laughter

The project came out of a period of transition. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits that strange transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to let go.

The lyrics track departures and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them working out in the moment who they are becoming.

"I love description, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a mantra. You have to consciously practice ignoring the noise and saying, 'It doesn't matter to me what people think'."

Evolution of Music

That developed resilience required a fresh approach – more raw and direct than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who worked on producing the album, that was founded on the drums.

"The drum sound is such a detailed thing, and I care so much about it," she says.

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

Experiences and Shared Humor

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

Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's incredible."

A Secure Future

You can clearly sense a shift 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 worldwide audience.

Yet the sister act will forever be their top priority.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was four," says Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."