Joni Mitchell becomes American citizen: How did the singer's 62-year journey culminate in her becoming a US citizen at age 82?

Joni Mitchell has called the United States home for most of her adult life. But at 82, the Canadian-born singer has reached a milestone that took more than six decades. She is now an American citizen. Mitchell shared a video of her citizenship ceremony and a photo of herself holding an American flag on Instagram. Her caption was short, but it said a lot about the long road that brought her here.

“A journey that began 62 years ago,” she wrote.

The change also gives Mitchell the right to vote in US elections. It is something she has openly wished for in the past, as per Page Six and The Guardian.

Who is Joni Mitchell?

Mitchell moved to the United States in 1965 with her husband, a folk singer named Chuck Mitchell. Their marriage did not last and ended two years later. She remained in the country and created a career that would make her one of the best-known singer-songwriters of her generation. Her inability to vote in American elections had come up before. At a concert in 2024, Mitchell spoke about Donald Trump and a rap track by YG. She then added: “I wish I could vote ... I’m a Canadian. I’m one of those lousy immigrants.”

Now, she can take part in US elections as a citizen. Her announcement also brought a message from fellow musician and former boyfriend Graham Nash. "Congrats, Joan! Just in time to vote!” he commented.

How did Joni Mitchell build her career in the US

Mitchell was born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943, and grew up in Saskatchewan. She began singing at folk clubs before performing in Calgary and Toronto, where she met Chuck Mitchell. After their move to the US, the couple settled in Detroit. When the marriage ended, Mitchell moved to New York City in 1967. She lived in Chelsea, at 41 W. 16th St., and wrote songs including “Chelsea Morning” during that period.

Los Angeles came next. Mitchell moved there in 1968 and became part of the music scene in Laurel Canyon. Her debut album was released that year, followed by Ladies of the Canyon, her first gold-selling album.

She has remained based in California, living in Bel Air before settling in Santa Barbara.

Still, Mitchell has never hidden her connection to Canada. In a 2006 interview with the Ottawa Citizen, she summed it up this way: “LA is my workplace, BC is my heartbeat.”

Her personal life has also included two marriages. She married musician Larry Klein in 1982, and they divorced in 1994. Mitchell's daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson, was placed for adoption as an infant in 1965. Mother and daughter reunited in 1997.

What happened after Joni Mitchell's brain aneurysm

In 2015 Mitchell had a brain aneurysm that led to a difficult recovery. It took years. She made a remarkable comeback. In 2022 she returned to the stage in a surprise move performing unannounced, at the Newport Folk Festival. Fans were moved by her return.

At the 2026 Juno Awards, Mitchell received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. She also spoke candidly about how the aneurysm changed her life.

“I had a [brain] aneurysm, which changed my life — oddly, for the better,” she said.

She went on to describe her recovery and the people who helped her: “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.”

Mitchell praised Carney during the ceremony, saying Canadians were “so fortunate” to have him in power. She added, “I’m living in the States and you know what’s happening there.”

Meanwhile, director Cameron Crowe is working on a biopic about Mitchell. Record executive Clive Davis announced earlier this year that Meryl Streep would play an older version of the singer.