Joni Mitchell Dubbed The 'Matriarch Of Imagination' Before Touching Grammys Debut

Joni Mitchell illuminated the stage as she made her debut performance at this year’s Grammy Awards.

The iconic singer-songwriter was fresh off winning the Grammy for Best Folk Album for “Joni Mitchell At Newport,” her live album of her surprise appearance at the 2022 folk festival.

Brandi Carlile, Mitchell’s friend and collaborator, introduced the singer-songwriter as “one of the most influential and emotionally generous creators in human history.”

“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,” Carlile said.

“She’s like the first person to strip down at a skinny dipping party, to take that awkward terrifying leap before everyone else joyfully follows.”

Carlile went on to note that Mitchell had survived poverty, polio and a near-fatal brain aneurysm before introducing who she called “the matriarch of imagination, a true renaissance woman” and her hero.

Mitchell ― who was joined by Carlile, Jacob Collier, Allison Russell, SistaStrings, Lucius and Blake Mills ― proceeded to deliver a moving performance of her song, “Both Sides Now,” as she comfortably sang from her seat while holding a cane on stage.

The performance led to an ovation from the crowd before host Trevor Noah presented Mitchell, who turned 80 late last year, with her Grammy award.