All Fans is Welcome to Be the Fourth Haim Member.

The Haim sisters performing together
Haim: "Performing as a unit is where our passion will forever be found."

"When are you interviewing the band?" a message arrives. "I wanted to ask if I can join as their fourth member."

There's just a key snag: I also longs to be the Haims' fourth member. Furthermore, we are not alone. A host of celebrated admirers have also begged for the role.

The evidence suggests a special quality is happening. Sisters Este, Danielle and Alana began their musical journey performing shows at neighborhood delis with their parents. Now they're multiple Grammy nominees.

Similar to the most iconic bands, they're a tight-knit trio. Their music videos frequently depict them marching in harmony down the roads of Los Angeles. In concert, they perform with such unfettered exuberance you find yourself thinking, "I wish to be part of that, too."

"How often on tour that young girls came up to us and said, 'After your show, I bought a bass'," remarks Alana, the most junior of the trio. "It is the greatest honour. It is a prize in itself. We've done our job if we can inspire young girls to start a band."

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

Haim performing at a large festival
The band's concert performances have helped them rise to the top of line-ups throughout Europe.

Grammy Nod

The group are connecting from a break, where they're recovering after an lengthy tour in for their fourth album, I Quit.

They're currently celebrating the news it's been shortlisted for Best Rock Album at the Grammy Awards – with Haim the pioneering all-female band ever in contention for the award.

"I tune into the nominations every year, so it kind of feels like an out-of-body experience when your name is called," says Alana. "I needed to phone my sisters to say, 'Did I hear this correctly or am I dreaming'?"

The weight of the nomination is deeply felt by the sisters.

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

Emotional Upheaval and Candor

The album was born from a time of transition. All three sisters were single, and the music inhabits that unique in-between place where you're happy to be free, but not yet ready to let go.

The themes follow departures and partings. The sisters want love, but not the relationships they've experienced. You can hear them figuring out in real life who they want to be.

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

Haim album covers and career milestones
The group claimed victory in a notable new artist list in 2013, and have later scored multiple chart-topping albums.

Evolution of Style

That developed confidence required a fresh approach – more unpolished and powerful than any of the music the band had done before.

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

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

"'Journey of the drum sound' will be the subject of our biography," laughs Alana. "I've said it, our albums won't commence until we find the ideal drum sound."

Haim in the studio working on music
I Quit hones the band's characteristic style, mixing guitar-driven rock with rhythmic beats and memorable pop tunes.

Stories and Shared Humor

The trio's openness fueled the album's promotional campaign, where the sisters revealed some of their personal misadventures.

Someone broke up with Este over a health concern. Alana recalled a story of travelling to spend New Year's Eve with someone, only to receive a casual gesture at midnight.

"Experiencing these heartbreaks, you just feel like there's no light," says Alana. "So to be able to find humor in those stories and hear others tell you even crazier stories, it's therapeutic."

Haim on stage during their recent tour
The band recently wrapped up a six-month tour, but mention they hope to perform live in the future.

A Secure Future

You can clearly sense a shift in the band. Today, Haim are more confident of their place in the industry.

They're festival headliners, with hit albums and an worldwide fan base.

But the band will consistently be their primary priority.

"Me and my siblings have been playing music since I was four," says Alana. "It's like no other path that we were supposed to do. And I'm really grateful we've made it and we're still going strong."

Timothy Kennedy
Timothy Kennedy

A tech journalist and digital strategist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and consumer electronics.