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"When are you interviewing the Haim sisters?" a message arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can be their extra sister."

There is only a single issue: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. Multiple celebrated admirers have openly coveted the honor.

The evidence suggests a special quality is happening. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana started their path playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy contenders.

Like all the greatest groups, they're a close trio. Their visuals repeatedly depict them marching in unison down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they jam with such pure exuberance you inevitably think, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"The numerous instances on tour that young girls told us and said, 'After your show, I bought a guitar'," remarks Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the ultimate honor. That's an award in itself. We have succeeded if we can inspire young girls to make music."

"So anyone gets an invitation to be the next part of the family."

Award Nod

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

They're currently reeling from the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in the running for the prize.

"I follow the announcements every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is read out," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the nomination resonates with the trio.

"We really set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a huge achievement," adds Alana. "But we're just grateful for the pioneers that inspired us."

Heartbreak and Humour

The project emerged from a period of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music explores that unique transitional period where you're glad to be free, but not quite ready to start anew.

The lyrics track breakups and partings. The sisters desire love, but not the specific love they've got. You can hear them determining in real time who they aspire to be.

"I adore summary, yes," responds Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to consciously practice ignoring the criticism and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Refinement of Style

That recent toughness required a different sonic direction – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

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

"Percussion is such a detailed thing, and I am so passionate about it," she states.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our book," jokes Alana. "I've said it, our albums cannot begin until we find the perfect drum sound."

Anecdotes and Shared Humor

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

A former partner ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a friendly slap at midnight.

"When you're going through these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

A Confident Legacy

It's not difficult sense a change in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their place in the rock pantheon.

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

But the sister act will forever be their primary focus.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," says Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still making music."