Joni Mitchell Celebrates U.S. Citizenship After A Journey That Began 62 Years Ago

More than six decades after moving south from Canada, singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell has officially become a United States citizen.

Mitchell shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday (Oct. 13) with a photo of herself holding a miniature American flag. She also posted a video that shows her being applauded during her citizenship ceremony.

“A journey that began 62 years ago,” she wrote in the caption. Mitchell has not provided further details about her decision to pursue citizenship.

Born in Fort Macleod, Alberta, in 1943, Mitchell first moved to the United States in the mid-1960s. She eventually settled in Los Angeles, becoming a defining figure in the Laurel Canyon music scene alongside other musicians and singer/songwriters.

Mitchell built a catalog over the decades that influenced generations of artists. Her relationship with the U.S. has not always been straightforward, however.

During a 2024 performance at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, Mitchell used a blunt expletive directed at then-presidential candidate Donald Trump. She followed the remark by lamenting her inability to vote as a Canadian citizen and jokingly referred to herself as “one of those lousy immigrants.”

Mitchell’s biggest Billboard Hot 100 hit as a performer remains “Help Me,” which reached No. 7 in 1974. The track appeared on Court and Spark, which became her highest-charting release on the Billboard 200 by peaking at No. 2 that same year.

Her 1971 album Blue remains a cornerstone of her catalog. The personal release reached No. 15 on the Billboard 200 and includes songs such as “A Case of You,” “River” and “California.”

View Mitchell’s Instagram post below.