Joni Mitchell says she has become a U.S. citizen, sharing photos and video from her naturalization ceremony on social media.
The Story
Folk legend Joni Mitchell has become a U.S. citizen, ending decades of living in the United States, according to a post she shared on social media Tuesday.
Mitchell, 82, posted a photo and video from her naturalization ceremony on Instagram, smiling while holding an American flag in front of flags for both the United States and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Her caption referenced a “journey that began 62 years ago.”
Her representatives did not respond to email queries about what prompted the decision to become a U.S. citizen.
The update follows Mitchell’s remarks during an October 2024 performance at the Hollywood Bowl, when she urged the crowd to vote and said, “I wish I could vote — I’m Canadian. I’m one of those lousy immigrants,” after taking a swipe at President Donald Trump.
Born Roberta Joan Anderson in Fort Macleod, Alta., in 1943 and raised in Saskatoon, Mitchell moved to Toronto in 1964 and later relocated to Detroit with her then-husband and fellow musician, Chuck Mitchell, to pursue recording work in the U.S. After their divorce, she moved to New York, releasing her debut album, “Song to a Seagull,” in 1968, followed by her breakthrough second album, “Clouds,” in 1969.
Mitchell currently resides in Santa Barbara, Calif., and has a second residence on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. In March, she received a lifetime achievement award at the Juno Awards from Prime Minister Mark Carney, telling the audience, “I’m so happy to be in Canada,” before adding, “I’m living in the States, and you know what’s happening there.”
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