Joni Mitchell has officially become an American citizen at age 82, concluding a journey that began when she moved to the United States in 1965. The Canadian-born musician announced the development on Instagram, sharing a photograph of herself holding an American flag and a video from her naturalization ceremony. In the caption for the post, Mitchell described the process as a journey that began 62 years ago.
In the shared video, Mitchell is seated in the front row as a speaker announces her name and country of origin to an audience that responds with cheers and applause. She wore a red and navy blue floral cardigan adorned with an American flag pin, along with a red beaded necklace, a red beret, black pants, and black boots. The setting included both an American flag and a Department of Homeland Security flag.
According to KSL, Mitchell will retain her Canadian citizenship because both the United States and Canada legally permit dual citizenship. Born Roberta Joan Anderson in Fort Macleod, Alberta, she was the daughter of Royal Canadian Air Force flight Lt. William Andrew Anderson and teacher Myrtle Marguerite. Her family lived on several military bases during World War II before settling in Saskatoon, which Mitchell has often referred to as her hometown. She attended the Alberta College of Art in Calgary but dropped out to pursue music in Toronto, where she performed at coffee houses and folk clubs.
Mitchell moved to the United States in 1965 at age 21 after marrying American folk singer Chuck Mitchell. The couple lived in Detroit, Michigan, and performed together as a folk duo until their divorce in 1967. Following their separation, Mitchell relocated to New York City, where she joined the Greenwich Village folk scene and performed along the East Coast. By 1968, she had moved to Los Angeles, settling in Laurel Canyon, a hub for singer-songwriters such as David Crosby and Graham Nash. Later in the mid-1970s, she moved to the Bel Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, where she lived in a historic 1920s home for decades.
While living in California, Mitchell built her career and recorded acclaimed albums including "Blue," "Court and Spark," and "Ladies of the Canyon." She has won 11 Grammy Awards and was inducted into both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1997. Additional honors include the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021 and the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2023. She currently lives in Santa Barbara, California.
Mitchell has been an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump and previously expressed frustration at her inability to vote in U.S. elections due to her Canadian status. During an October 2024 performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, she referenced Trump while performing her 1985 song "Dog Eat Dog." According to Billboard, she added "Like Donald Trump!" after singing a lyric about wealthy financiers. She later encouraged the audience to vote in the 2024 presidential election between Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, stating, "I wish I could vote . I'm Canadian. I'm one of those lousy immigrants."
In March, while accepting a lifetime achievement award at Canada's Juno Awards, Mitchell praised Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and contrasted her life in the United States with Canada. She said, "I'm living in the states, and you know what's happening there." White House spokesperson Davis Ingle responded dismissively to these remarks by asking, "Who the hell is Joni Mitchell?" More recently, Mitchell wore an "ICE OUT" pin while accepting the award for Best Historical Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards.