Renowned singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has officially become a United States citizen, decades after she first relocated to the country during the mid-1960s. The 82-year-old artist shared video footage of her official citizenship ceremony on her Instagram account, alongside a photograph of herself positioned next to an American flag. She accompanied the social media post with the caption noting that it marked a journey that began 62 years ago.
This new status grants Mitchell the ability to vote in United States elections, a right she had previously expressed frustration over lacking. During a live performance in 2024, the musician criticized Donald Trump and expressed regret about her inability to cast a ballot, remarking at the time that she was a Canadian immigrant.
Born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943, Mitchell grew up in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She began her musical career performing in folk clubs in her home province before moving on to Calgary and Toronto. In Toronto, she encountered American folk musician Chuck Mitchell, and the two married in 1965, prompting her move to the United States. Although the marriage dissolved after two years, Mitchell had already secured her place as a distinctive and talented artist within the American folk music scene.
Following the release of her debut album in 1968, Mitchell used her royalties to relocate to the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, where she recorded her breakthrough, gold-selling record, Ladies of the Canyon. She maintained her primary residence in California over the decades and currently lives in Santa Barbara.
Mitchell released her most recent studio album, Shine, in 2007, after which she largely stepped away from public life for a period. She suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015 that necessitated a lengthy and intensive recovery process. However, she made a triumphant return to the stage in 2022 with a surprise appearance at the Newport Folk Festival and has since delighted fans through a series of star-studded Joni Jam concerts.
Beyond her musical milestones, Mitchell's life and career are currently being adapted for the screen. Director Cameron Crowe has been developing a biographical film about the artist since the early 2020s, with music executive Clive Davis revealing earlier in the year that acclaimed actor Meryl Streep is slated to portray Mitchell in the upcoming project.