The World Are Encouraged to Be the Extra Haim Member.

"Do you know when you'll be chatting with Haim?" an inquiry arrives. "I was hoping to ask if I can be their fourth member."

There is only one problem: I also wants to be the Haims' newest recruit. Furthermore, we are in plentiful company. Several celebrated fans have openly petitioned for the honor.

It's clear an irresistible appeal is going on. The siblings Este, Danielle and Alana began their career performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Today, they are repeated Grammy Award nominees.

Similar to the best bands, they're a close trio. Their videos repeatedly depict them marching in harmony down the streets of Los Angeles. On stage, they perform with such boundless joy you can't help but think, "I want to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that fans told us and said, 'After your show, I got a guitar'," says Alana, the most junior of the Haim siblings. "That's the greatest compliment. It is a prize in itself. We have succeeded if we can motivate others to start a band."

"And thus everyone gets an invitation to be the fourth member of Haim."

Historic Recognition

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

They're right now processing the news it's been nominated for best rock album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the award.

"I watch the lists every year, so it almost feels like The Truman Show when your name is announced," says Alana. "I immediately called my sisters to say, 'Am I hearing this right or am I dreaming'?"

The weight of the nomination isn't lost on the sisters.

"We really set out to make a rock album this time, so it's a huge achievement," says Alana. "But we're just grateful for the female artists that came before us."

Heartbreak and Candor

The record emerged from a phase of emotional upheaval. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique liminal space where you're glad to be free, but not entirely ready to let go.

The words follow departures and farewells. The sisters want love, but not the kind of love they've had. You can hear them determining in the moment who they are becoming.

"I love summary, yes," agrees Danielle. "I Quit is like a slogan. You have to actively work on blocking the outside opinions and saying, 'I don't give what people think'."

Refinement of Sound

That recent confidence demanded 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 was founded on the percussion.

"Drums are such a nuanced thing, and I care so much about it," she says.

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

Experiences and Shared Laughter

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

Someone left Este over a medical consideration. Alana recalled a story of travelling to celebrate New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"When you're going through these breakups, you just feel like there's no hope," notes Alana. "Therefore to be able to find humor in those stories and have them tell you more outrageous stories, it's therapeutic."

A Secure Future

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Now, Haim are more certain of their standing in the music world.

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

But the sister act will consistently be their number one focus.

"Me and my siblings have been making music since I was little," concludes Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really thankful we've reached this point and we're still kicking."