Joni Mitchell becomes US citizen after decades in the country

Canadian-born singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has become a US citizen, marking a milestone after more than six decades of living in the country.

Canadian-born singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell has become a US citizen, marking a milestone after more than six decades of living in the country.

Mitchell, 82, announced the news on Instagram on Tuesday, October 13, sharing a photograph of herself smiling and waving a small American flag.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DecdXSLGXa1/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

“A journey that began 62 years ago,” she wrote in the caption. She also posted a short video showing the moment her name was called during the citizenship ceremony.

Born in Canada, Mitchell first moved to the United States in 1965 with her then-husband, Chuck Mitchell. She initially lived in Detroit before spending time in New York and later settling in Southern California.

Despite her long-standing ties to the United States, Mitchell has maintained a connection to Canada. In a 2006 interview with the Ottawa Citizen, she described Los Angeles as her “workplace” and British Columbia as her “heartbeat”.

She returned to Canada in March 2026 to accept a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Juno Awards.

Mitchell is known for songs including “Big Yellow Taxi” and “Both Sides, Now”.

Her US citizenship marks a new chapter in the career of one of Canada’s best-known singer-songwriters.