Canadian musician Joni Mitchell becomes U.S. citizen
Canadian folk legend Joni Mitchell has announced that she’s now a U.S. citizen.
Mitchell posted a photo of herself smiling as she held an American flag and stood in front of the United States and Department of Homeland Security flags on Instagram.
She also shared a short video of herself as she was called up to be sworn in as a citizen.
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“A journey that began 62 years ago,” Mitchell captioned an Instagram post, celebrating the news.
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Mitchell was born in Alberta and travelled to the U.S. for the first time in 1965 with her former husband Chuck Mitchell, where they lived in Detroit for several years, People reports.
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She moved to New York City briefly two years later after separating from her former husband. Mitchell then moved to California to Laurel Canyon in 1968 and then to Bel Air in 1975, according to the New York Times.
Mitchell now lives in Santa Barbara.
While Mitchell has not publicly mentioned why she had chosen to get her U.S. citizenship, she did say she wishes she “could vote” during a 2024 performance in Los Angeles before the presidential election.
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After performing her 1985 song Dog Eat Dog at the Hollywood Bowl, Mitchell reportedly said, “F— Donald Trump. I love that song.”
“I wish I could vote… I’m a Canadian. I’m one of those lousy immigrants,” she reportedly added.
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Earlier this year, Mitchell took the stage at the Juno Awards for a sing-along after accepting a lifetime achievement award from Prime Minister Mark Carney.
The 82-year-old singer was welcomed by Carney in a speech.
“Joni’s music didn’t just provide the soundtrack to our lives. She shifted culture, inspired generations and redefined what songwriting could be,” Carney said.
Taking the stage to a thunderous standing ovation, Mitchell told the audience she was “so happy to be in Canada” with “our wonderful prime minister.”
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“I’m living in the States, and you know what’s happening there,” Mitchell said in March.
“This man is a blessing. You guys are so fortunate,” Mitchell added as the crowd cheered.
She added that her life has improved since her brain aneurysm in 2015: “I went into a coma, which helped me to quit smoking. And my house filled up with the most wonderful nurses. I was on the road with men for years and years. Now I live with a house full of women … so my life has changed for the better, out of a catastrophe, like a phoenix.”
Mitchell then joined a musical tribute to her oeuvre with several Canadian artists, including Sarah McLachlan, Allison Russell, Jully Black, The Beaches and Alessia Cara.
She took the mic and joined a sing-along of her 1970 hit Big Yellow Taxi, swaying along with the music and beaming, though slightly off rhythm.
—With files from The Canadian Press
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