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"Do you know when you'll be speaking to the Haim sisters?" an inquiry arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can become their fourth member."

However, there remains a single issue: The author likewise longs to be the Haims' newest recruit. And we're in plentiful company. Several celebrated supporters have publicly petitioned for the position.

It's clear something is at play. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana launched their musical journey playing gigs at local delicatessens with their parents. Today, they are multiple Grammy hopefuls.

Like all the greatest bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals frequently feature them marching in sync down the streets of Los Angeles. In concert, they jam with such pure happiness you find yourself thinking, "I'd love to be a piece of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that audience members approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a drum kit'," states Alana, the youngest of the trio. "It is the ultimate compliment. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can motivate people to form a group."

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

Grammy Nod

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

They're currently processing the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the first female band ever in consideration for the award.

"I watch the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is called," notes Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the nomination is deeply felt by the trio.

"We truly set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a major step," says Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the women that paved the way."

Heartbreak and Laughter

The album emerged from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music captures that strange liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not yet ready to start anew.

The words follow departures and goodbyes. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've experienced. You can hear them determining in the moment who they aspire to be.

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

Development of Music

That developed resilience called for a fresh approach – more organic and immediate than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who helped produce the album, that began with the drum sound.

"Percussion 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 memoir," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the perfect drum sound."

Anecdotes and Shared Camaraderie

The band's candor inspired the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters shared some of their romantic tales.

Someone left Este over a health consideration. 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 no light," says Alana. "Thus to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you wilder stories, it's so amazing."

An Assured Legacy

You can clearly sense a evolution in the band. Today, Haim are more assured of their place in the music world.

They're major draws, with successful albums and an international audience.

But the band will forever be their top commitment.

"We have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "It feels as if no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really grateful we've reached this point and we're still making music."