Joni Mitchell Officially Becomes a US Citizen at Age 82
Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has officially become a US citizen at age 82, gaining voting rights after living in America for over six decades.
Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has officially become a United States citizen at the age of 82, more than six decades after moving to the country.
According to a report by the British newspaper "The Guardian", Mitchell shared footage of her naturalization ceremony on her Instagram account, alongside a photo of herself standing next to the American flag. She captioned the post, "A journey that started 62 years ago."
Voting Rights and Political Views
Acquiring citizenship also grants Mitchell the right to vote in United States elections, an opportunity she did not have previously and whose absence she had complained about in the past. During a performance in 2024, she referenced the rap song "Fuck Donald Trump" by rapper YG, saying, "Fuck Donald Trump, I love that song." She later added, "I wish I could vote... I am Canadian. I am one of those wretched immigrants."
Mitchell was born in 1943 in Fort Macleod, Alberta, Canada, and her family later settled in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. She began her musical journey performing in local folk clubs and later appeared in Calgary and Toronto. In Toronto, she met American folk singer Chuck Mitchell, and the two married in 1965, following which she moved to the United States.
Musical Legacy in California
Their marriage ended after just two years, but by then Mitchell had already established her status as one of the most original and prominent creators in the American folk scene. In 1968, she released her debut album, using its proceeds shortly after to move to the Laurel Canyon neighborhood in Los Angeles. There she recorded "Ladies of the Canyon", her first album to achieve gold status. Since then she has continued to live in California, and today her home is in Santa Barbara.
Mitchell's last studio album, "Shine", was released in 2007. In the following years, she stepped away from the spotlight, partly due to a brain aneurysm she suffered in 2015 that required a lengthy recovery period. In 2022, she returned to performing before audiences, making a surprise appearance at the Newport Folk Festival. Meanwhile, Mitchell's life story is also expected to reach the big screen, with actress Meryl Streep reportedly slated to portray her in a biographical film directed by Cameron Crowe.
