Joni Mitchell to Make Grammy Awards Performance Debut

Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell is set to make her debut performance at the Grammy Awards ceremony on February 4th. This performance comes after 18 previous nominations and nine Grammy wins. Mitchell’s nomination this year is in the best folk album category for her live album ‘Joni Mitchell at Newport,’ which was recorded in June 2022.

Joni Mitchell, described as one of the most important female recording artists of the rock era by the Recording Academy, received a lifetime achievement award in 2002. Last year, Mitchell became the first Canadian to be awarded the prestigious Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song since its establishment in 2007.

Mitchell’s return to performing was a triumphant one, as she overcame a brain aneurysm in 2015 that had cast doubt on her ability to ever perform again. Her comeback took place at the Newport Folk Festival, where she recorded the album for which she is currently nominated at the Grammys.

Joni Mitchell’s celebrated career has spanned decades, with well-known hits such as ‘Both Sides Now‘ and ‘Big Yellow Taxi.’ She spent her early years in Saskatoon before embarking on her musical journey that took her to cities like Calgary, Toronto, Detroit, New York, and eventually California, where she secured a record deal in 1967. She has received numerous accolades throughout her career, including the Governor general’s Lifetime Artistic Achievement award and induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Other artists set to perform at the 66th Grammy Awards include Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Travis Scott, and Olivia Rodrigo. Leading the nominations this year is SZA, with nine nods, followed by Victoria Monét with seven. Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, and Billie Eilish are each up for six awards. Swift has broken a Grammys record with her nomination for Song of the Year, becoming the first songwriter to score seven nominations in the category, surpassing Sir Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie who have six each.

The 66th Grammy Awards will take place in Los Angeles and will be hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.