Joni Mitchell becomes US citizen: ‘A journey that began 62 years ago’
Canada-born singer-songwriter, 82, posts footage of citizenship ceremony to Instagram Joni Mitchell has become a US citizen, after first moving to the country in the mid-1960s. The Canada-born singer-songwriter, 82, posted footage of her citizenship ceremony on her Instagram account, along with a photo of her next to an American flag, accompanied by the caption: “A journey that began 62 years ago.” It means that…
Key points
- Joni Mitchell, 82, has become a US citizen after moving to the country in the mid-1960s.
- She posted footage of her citizenship ceremony on Instagram with the caption 'A journey that began 62 years ago.'
- Mitchell, born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943, now lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Canada-born singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has become a US citizen, she announced on Instagram. The 82-year-old posted footage of her citizenship ceremony along with a photo of herself next to an American flag.
The caption on the post read: 'A journey that began 62 years ago.' Mitchell first moved to the US in the mid-1960s.
Voting rights and past comments
Mitchell can now vote in US elections, something she had previously complained she was unable to do. At a concert in 2024, she said: 'Fuck Donald Trump, I love that song,' referring to a rap track by YG.
She added at the time: 'I wish I could vote ... I'm a Canadian. I'm one of those lousy immigrants.'
A journey that began 62 years ago
— Joni Mitchell
Career and recent projects
Mitchell was born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943 and later settled in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She began performing in folk clubs there, then in Calgary and Toronto, where she met US folk singer Chuck Mitchell. They married in 1965 and she moved to the US; the marriage ended two years later.
She released her debut album in 1968 and soon moved to Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon, where she recorded her first gold-selling album, Ladies of the Canyon. She remained based in California and currently lives in Santa Barbara. Her most recent studio album is Shine, from 2007. After suffering a brain aneurysm in 2015, she returned to live performance in 2022 with an unannounced set at the Newport folk festival and has since performed all-star 'Joni Jam' concerts. A biopic is being prepared by director Cameron Crowe, and record executive Clive Davis announced earlier this year that Meryl Streep would play Mitchell in the film.
