Canadian musician Joni Mitchell becomes U.S. citizen - Global News

'I heard them playing acoustic instruments and they couldn't. It was appalling.'

TORONTO — Joni Mitchell may have just become an American citizen, but she insists she’ll never stop being Canadian. The Alberta-born folk legend says her decision to obtain U. S. citizenship after more than six decades living south of the border was motivated by a desire to vote, and that she has no intention of giving up her Canadian passport.

Credit: Joni Mitchell Thu 15 October 2026 16:53, UK Joni Mitchell has confirmed where she stands on the question of intermingling politics and the arts, insisting that it is an “artist’s duty to speak up.”The esteemed singer-songwriter recently became an American citizen following “A journey that began 62 years ago”. The new honour means that Mitchell can now vote in the United States for the first time, despite calling the country her home since 1965. In a new interview with Rolling Stone, Mitchell clarified, “I became a citizen so I could vote,” before quipping, “I’m a proud Canerican like Neil Young.”Mitchell has wasted no time in tackling current sociopolitical problems; on November 4th, she is set to release NEWS, a collection of 23 paintings that tackle the endless 24-hour news cycle. The back cover of the collection explains, “Recently I retired from music in order to pursue my first love, painting.”Mitchell added, “When [George] Bush was president, and the Twin Towers in New York were attacked, I did a series of political paintings. In the current climate, I felt a need to express my concern.

Open this photo in gallery:At the Juno Awards this spring in Hamilton, Mitchell received a lifetime achievement award from Prime Minister Mark Carney. Peter Power/The Canadian PressAccording to her 1971 song A Case of You, Joni Mitchell drew a map of Canada on the back of a cartoon coaster in the blue light of a television screen. “Oh, Canada,” the Alberta-born daughter of a Royal Canadian Air Force lieutenant sang. I always wondered what a cartoon coaster was exactly. Now one might wonder where Mitchell puts herself on the map of Canada. On Tuesday, the legendary singer-songwriter became a U. S. citizen after decades of living and paying taxes in the country.

The 82-year-old Alberta-born folk legend broke the news on social media Tuesday, posting a photo and video from her naturalization ceremony.

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