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"Any idea when you're chatting with Haim?" a message arrives. "My request was to ask if I can be their extra sister."

There is only a key snag: The sender also desires to be the Haims' newest recruit. And we're far from alone. Multiple high-profile supporters have publicly petitioned for the honor.

The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their musical journey playing gigs at neighborhood delis with their family. Today, they are repeated Grammy nominees.

In the tradition of the most iconic groups, they're a close gang. Their videos repeatedly show them striding in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such boundless happiness you inevitably think, "I want to be involved in that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that young girls told us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the most junior of the trio. "That's the ultimate honour. That's an award in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate young girls to make music."

"Therefore all is invited to be the fourth member of Haim."

Historic Nod

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

They're right now processing 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 trophy.

"I follow the lists every year, so it sort of feels like a surreal movie when your name is called," says Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did we just hear this right or am I hallucinating'?"

The importance of the honor resonates with the band.

"We deliberately set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant step," says Alana. "But we're just thankful for the female artists that paved the way."

Personal Turmoil and Candor

The record was born from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music captures that odd liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to move on.

The themes follow departures and partings. The sisters seek love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them working out in real time who they want to be.

"I adore description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a personal statement. You have to actively work on shutting out the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Refinement of Style

That developed confidence required a new sound – more unpolished and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

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

"Percussion is such a nuanced thing, and I focus so intensely about it," she emphasizes.

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," jokes Alana. "Our motto is, our albums don't start until we find the right drum sound."

Anecdotes and Collective Humor

The band's candor fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their romantic tales.

Someone ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana shared a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a high five at midnight.

"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's no light," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to share those stories and hear others tell you more outrageous stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Future

One can easily sense a shift in the band. These days, Haim are more assured of their standing in the rock pantheon.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an worldwide following.

Yet the band will forever be their primary priority.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was little," shares Alana. "There is no other path that we were destined for. And I'm really thankful we've gotten here and we're still making music."