Watch Joni Mitchell’s Unforgettable Debut Grammys Performance

At age 80, Joni Mitchell showed she could still wow a crowd by delivering a memorable “Both Sides Now” performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards. Mitchell’s debut on the Grammy stage came last night after she took home her 10th trophy from the Recording Academy.

Joni Mitchell’s appearance at the 66th Grammy Awards ceremony broadcast live on CBS from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles followed an introduction from Brandi Carlile. “Whether we know it or not any one of us out here who ever dreamed of becoming a truly self-revealing singer-songwriter did it standing on the shoulders of one, Joni Mitchell,” Carlile said.

“Joni is one of the most influential and emotionally generous creators in human history,” Brandi added. “She redefined the very purpose of a song to reflect the contents of a person’s soul and before she took this leap, the popular song was observational. It was brilliant and influential, of course, but the exhilarating risk that we all now take by turning ourselves inside out for all the world to see started as far as I can tell with Joni Mitchell doing it first.”

Mitchell was seated in a throne as she sang “Both Sides Now” in full “Joni Jam” style backed by Carlile, Allison Russell, Lucius (Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig), Blake Mills and Jacob Collier. The beloved song is featured on Mitchell’s sophomore studio album, 1969’s Clouds, which won Joni her first Grammy Award. Joni and the all-star ensemble powerfully moved through “Both Sides Now.”

Earlier in the evening, Mitchell picked up the Best Folk Album award for Joni Mitchell At Newport (Live) at a pre-broadcast ceremony. Joni’s 10th Grammy win came in honor of a record documenting her first live performance in 20 years, her surprise set at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival. The legendary artist has been making a comeback in the wake of a 2015 brain aneurysm and will play a pair of fall concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

Watch footage of Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now” performance from the Grammys below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awyl_RLlNl8 https://twitter.com/RealBrittain/status/1754347644883743076