Joni Mitchell Becomes U.S. Citizen, 62 Years After Leaving Canada

By Elena Vasquez

Joni Mitchell was sworn in as a U.S. citizen this week, 62 years after she first moved from Canada to the United States. The 82-year-old singer-songwriter announced the news herself on Instagram on Tuesday morning.

Mitchell posted a photograph of herself smiling and holding an American flag, standing in front of United States and Department of Homeland Security flags. She also posted a short video showing the moment she was called up and applauded at her swearing-in. Her caption read: "A journey that began 62 years ago."

Her representatives offered no further details on the surprise move to dual citizenship after more than six decades in the U.S.

Why did the New York Times exclude her from its songwriter list?

Earlier this year, the New York Times published a list of the greatest living American songwriters. Readers objected loudly to one omission: Joni Mitchell. The newspaper explained at the time that Mitchell was — and remained — a Canadian citizen, despite residing primarily in California. That exclusion prompted the pushback.

The Times may now need to amend its ranking. Mitchell holds U.S. citizenship as of this week.

Did politics play a role?

Mitchell has not explained the timing. Some observers question why she chose this moment to formalize her ties to the U.S., given how many musicians of her generation have criticized the Trump era.

Her own record on the matter is blunt. Two years ago, fronting a "Joni Jam" at the Hollywood Bowl, Mitchell said: "Fuck Donald Trump." She then added: "I wish I could vote…I'm a Canadian. I'm one of those lousy immigrants."

As a citizen, she can now vote. Whether the current political climate motivated the decision remains speculation; Mitchell has not said.

What is the 62-year journey her caption refers to?

Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson in 1943 in Fort McLeod, Alberta. Her family moved to Saskatoon when she was 9. In 1963, she enrolled at the Alberta College of Art in Calgary.

Biographies generally date her move to the U.S. to 1965, when she married Chuck Mitchell and the couple settled in Detroit, joining the city's folk scene. Her timeline since:

• 1966: First New York appearance at the Gaslight.
• 1967: Moved to Chelsea after her marital separation.
• 1968: Relocated to Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles.
• 1971: Set up residency in British Columbia around the release of "Blue."
• 1975: Bought a home in Bel Air.

She maintained close Canadian ties throughout, and in recent years has hosted private "Joni jams" with fellow musicians in the Santa Barbara area.

A comeback that made the moment possible

Mitchell suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015 and was considered retired from public performance for years afterward. She recovered gradually and returned to the stage at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022, performing in an all-star "Joni Jam" organized by Brandi Carlile. Similar group performances followed at the Gorge in Washington state in 2023 and at the Hollywood Bowl in 2024.

The takeaway: one of the most closely watched artists of her generation now holds citizenship in the country where she built her catalog — and a vote she once said she wished she had.