Joni Mitchell becomes a US citizen, 62 years after moving to the country
The 82-year-old Canada-born singer-songwriter posted footage of her naturalization ceremony on Instagram on Tuesday, 13 October. She has not explained why she applied now, and her team did not respond to a request for comment from the New York Times.
The ceremony
Joni Mitchell, 82, became a US citizen at a naturalization ceremony, with the footage posted to her Instagram account on Tuesday, 13 October. In the clip, a crowd applauds as an official calls out "Joni Mitchell. Canada." The caption on her post read "A journey that began 62 years ago." The New York Times reported that she wore a red beret and a navy blue floral shirt while waiting in the front row.
Mitchell has not given a reason for her naturalization, and no further information was immediately available from her or her representatives, according to Variety. Billboard and other outlets reported the same lack of detail. Mitchell did not appear to renounce her Canadian nationality, so ABC News reported she would now hold dual citizenship.
Years in the US
Mitchell was born in Alberta and raised in Saskatoon. She moved to Detroit in the mid-1960s with her then husband, the folk singer Chuck Mitchell, whom she had married in June 1965. After their marriage ended two years later, she moved to New York and then to Los Angeles, where she became part of the Laurel Canyon folk scene. She currently lives in Santa Barbara.
For years, media and institutions treated her differently on citizenship. CBC reported in March 2026 that she had never been naturalized, and in April the New York Times left her off a list of the 30 greatest living American songwriters, saying she was Canadian.
Political comments and reaction
Mitchell has criticised Donald Trump at concerts. At a Hollywood Bowl performance in 2024, she said "I wish I could vote...I'm a Canadian. I'm one of those lousy immigrants." In March 2026, at the Juno Awards in Hamilton, Ontario, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney presented her with a lifetime achievement award, and she said she lived in the United States and that people knew what was happening there.
When asked about Mitchell, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle replied, "Who the hell is Joni Mitchell?" according to The Independent. Her longtime friend and musician Graham Nash commented on her post: "Congratulations, Joan! Just in time to vote!"
What it means
As a citizen, Mitchell can now vote in US elections, which she had said she was unable to do. Spiegel Online reported that she had said in 1974, "I am definitely Canadian. I am proud of that." Her 2006 website statement said she still saw herself as Canadian first while also being a US citizen.
