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"When are you chatting with the Haim sisters?" a text pops up. "I wanted to ask if I can be their extra sister."

There's just one problem: The sender also desires to be Haim's newest recruit. Furthermore, we are not alone. Several celebrated fans have publicly petitioned for the role.

The evidence suggests a special quality is at play. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey doing sets at local delicatessens with their family. Today, they are multi-time Grammy contenders.

Like all the best bands, they're a tight-knit unit. Their visuals frequently show them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. During performances, they perform with such boundless happiness you can't help but think, "I wish to be part of that, too."

"The amount of times on tour that fans approached us and said, 'Seeing you perform, I got a drum kit'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "It is the biggest honour. It is a prize in itself. Our mission is accomplished if we can encourage others to form a group."

"So anyone gets an invitation to be the honorary Haim sister."

Award Recognition

The group are speaking from home, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in promoting their fourth album, I Quit.

They're currently celebrating the news it's been in the running for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-woman band ever in consideration for the award.

"I follow the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like a surreal movie when your name is announced," 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 isn't lost on the band.

"We truly set out to make a rock record this time, so it's a significant milestone," continues Alana. "Yet we're just thankful for the pioneers that inspired us."

Emotional Upheaval and Humour

The record emerged from a time of emotional upheaval. All three sisters found themselves single, and the music explores that strange transitional period where you're relieved to be free, but not quite ready to move on.

The lyrics detail endings and goodbyes. The sisters desire love, but not the relationships they've had. You can hear them working out in the moment who they are becoming.

"That's a perfect description, yes," says Danielle. "I Quit is kind of like a slogan. You have to actively work on shutting out the criticism and saying, 'I couldn't care less what people think'."

Evolution of Music

That developed toughness demanded a different sonic direction – more organic and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

For Danielle, who co-produced the album, that began with the drum sound.

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our memoir," laughs Alana. "I always say, our albums cannot begin until we find the ideal drum sound."

Stories and Collective Humor

The band's openness fueled the album's marketing, where the sisters shared some of their dating tales.

A former partner ended things with Este over a medical concern. Alana recalled a story of flying to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"During these breakups, you just feel like there's no light," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to laugh at those stories and hear others tell you wilder stories, it's therapeutic."

A Confident Legacy

One can easily sense a change in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their position in the rock pantheon.

They're festival headliners, with chart-topping albums and an international following.

However the sister act will consistently be their number one priority.

"My sisters and I have been performing since I was little," shares Alana. "It's like no alternative that we were destined for. And I'm really fortunate we've reached this point and we're still going strong."