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"Any idea when you're interviewing the band?" an inquiry pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can become their newest bandmate."

There is only one problem: The author likewise wants to be the Haims' fourth member. What's more, we are in plentiful company. Several high-profile fans have publicly coveted the honor.

The evidence suggests an irresistible appeal is going on. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana started their path doing sets at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're repeated Grammy Award nominees.

Similar to the best ensembles, they're a inseparable trio. Their videos repeatedly show them marching in harmony down the avenues of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered joy you inevitably think, "I'd love to be part of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that fans came up to us and said, 'Watching you live, I picked up a bass'," says Alana, the youngest of the Haim siblings. "That is the biggest honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage young girls to make music."

"And thus anyone are welcome to be the fourth part of the family."

Historic Milestone

The trio are connecting from their homes, where they're taking a pause after an major tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.

They're currently reeling from the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammys – with Haim the pioneering female band ever in the running for the trophy.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it sort of feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," explains Alana. "I had to call my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I imagining things'?"

The importance of the nomination resonates with the band.

"We truly set out to make a guitar-driven album this time, so it's a significant achievement," says Alana. "Yet we're just appreciative for the pioneers that came before us."

Heartbreak and Laughter

The project emerged from a time of personal change. All three sisters ended up single, and the music inhabits 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 want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they aspire to be.

"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is essentially a personal statement. You have to make an effort in blocking the noise and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That recent resilience demanded a new sound – more unpolished 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.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the title of our book," quips Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Experiences and Collective Humor

The band's honesty inspired the album's marketing, where the sisters disclosed some of their dating misadventures.

A former partner broke up with Este over a medical consideration. Alana shared a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"Experiencing these setbacks, you just feel like there's only darkness," explains Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Path

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

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

Yet the sister act will always be their number one focus.

"Me and my siblings have been performing since I was a young child," concludes Alana. "There is no alternative that we were supposed to do. And I'm really fortunate we've gotten here and we're still kicking."