Joni Mitchell becomes a US citizen after 62-year journey
Joni Mitchell is now a citizen of the United States.
The singer was sworn in on 13 October 2026. She shared the news on Instagram with a photograph from her citizenship ceremony holding an American flag, alongside video showing her receiving her official citizenship documents, as reported by Rolling Stone. She captioned the post: "A journey that began 62 years ago."
No further explanation came with the caption. The post was brief. It centred on the flag, the paperwork and that single line about time.
Mitchell was born in Canada and lives in Los Angeles, according to The Daily Beast. The announcement confirms she now holds American citizenship in addition to her Canadian roots. Stereogum also reported that she had been sworn in as of 13 October.
The news follows a busy period of public recognition. Mitchell was honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2026 Juno Awards, Canada's national music awards. That honour arrived more than a decade after she suffered a brain aneurysm in 2015, as previously reported by Reuters.
Her return to public performance after the aneurysm drew wide attention. She kept live appearances rare. Each one became news in itself.
More screen attention is on the way. Meryl Streep is set to play an older version of Mitchell in an upcoming biopic directed by Cameron Crowe, as reported by Rolling Stone. Details of the production schedule have not been announced.
For fans, this means a personal milestone shared in public. No speech. No interview. Just a flag, a certificate and 62 years summed up in one sentence.
