Entertainment

Joni Mitchell to make Grammy Awards debut performance at 80

Joni Mitchell to make Grammy Awards debut performance at 80

Joni Mitchell will perform at the Grammy Awards for the first time in her five-decade music career this weekend.

The 80-year-old singer-songwriter, who’s best known for her hit Big Yellow Taxi, is up for best folk album.

Image:
Mitchell in 1969. Pic: PA

The Canadian star’s previously won nine Grammys and a lifetime achievement award, and has inspired artists including Taylor Swift, Bob Dylan and Prince.

Mitchell was forced to re-learn how to walk, talk and play guitar after suffering a near-fatal brain aneurysm in 2015.

Nominated for her album Joni Mitchell At Newport [Live], the record marked her first headline show in 20 years.

Her three-hour show saw her perform with stars including Annie Lennox, Marcus Mumford and Brandi Carlile.

Despite being one of the most important female recording artists of the 20th century, Mitchell has previously said she believes her work did not get the recognition it deserved in the 1970s due to sexism within the music industry.

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Other artists who will perform on stage at the 66th Grammy Awards include Billie Eilish, Dua Lipa, Burna Boy, Travis Scott and Olivia Rodrigo.

Irish rock band U2 will also deliver a special remote performance from Sphere in Las Vegas.

US singer-songwriter SZA leads the nominations, with nine, Victoria Monet has seven and Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo and Taylor Swift are up for six awards each.

Swift has also broken a Grammys record with her nod for Anti Hero, becoming the first artist to have seven tracks nominated for Song Of The Year.

In a good year for female artists, all the nominees in the top three categories (album, record and song of the year) are women, apart from Jon Batiste.

The Grammys will take place in Los Angeles on Sunday 4 February, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah.