Joni Mitchell has become a U.S. citizen at 82, announcing the milestone with a photograph and video from her ceremony.
The Canadian-born singer-songwriter shared the news on Instagram on October 13, 2026. Her post showed her holding an American flag and included footage of her receiving citizenship documents, according to Rolling Stone.
“A journey that began 62 years ago,” Mitchell wrote alongside the images.
A New Milestone After Decades in America
The announcement marks a personal milestone for an artist whose career has long connected Canada and the United States.
Mitchell moved to Detroit with folk singer Chuck Mitchell in the summer of 1965, according to the biography published on her website. The couple lived and worked there before their marriage and musical partnership ended.
In early 1967, she moved to New York City to pursue a solo career. Performances along the East Coast helped build her reputation as both a singer and songwriter.
Her caption’s reference to a 62-year journey does not specify when she applied for citizenship or how long the application process took.
Canadian Roots and an International Career
Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943, in Fort Macleod, Alberta. Her family moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, when she was nine, and she has described that city as her hometown, according to her official website’s account of her childhood.
She began performing professionally in Canadian clubs and festivals before moving south. Her debut album, “Song to a Seagull,” arrived in 1968.
Over the following decades, songs including “Both Sides, Now” and “Big Yellow Taxi” became closely associated with her career.
Recognition on Both Sides of the Border
Mitchell’s citizenship announcement follows decades of recognition from Canadian and American cultural institutions.
Her official awards list includes induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, the Kennedy Center Honors in 2021 and the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2023.
In Canada, she received the Order of Canada and, in 2026, a Juno Lifetime Achievement Award.
Her latest announcement was more personal than those career honors: a brief caption, a photograph with an American flag and footage marking her new citizenship.