Joni Mitchell Makes Rare Red Carpet Appearance at Grammys 2026

Joni Mitchell didn’t need a big yellow taxi to get her to the 2026 Grammys.

Joni Mitchell made a stunning appearance at the February 1st event. The 82-year-old singer-songwriter arrived on the red carpet wearing a dazzling pantsuit covered in shimmering gold, silver, and black sequins. She completed the look with gold-rimmed glasses, a golden cap, a black cane, and a patterned black shoulder bag. (See photos of all the red carpet stars here.)

It’s been almost twenty years since Joni Mitchell released a new album – her last was Shine in 2007 – but she’s still being recognized for her work. She’s nominated for Best Historical Album at the 2026 ceremony for Joni Mitchell Archives – Vol. 4: The Asylum Years (1976-1980).

Joni Mitchell’s appearance at the event hosted by Trevor Noah was the perfect ending to a busy weekend. The night before, she’d celebrated with Olivia Dean, Lana Del Rey, and music icon Frankie Valli at Clive Davis’s annual pre-Grammys party.

Joni Mitchell has kept a relatively low profile in recent years due to health issues, including a brain aneurysm in 2015. However, she has made a few public appearances, most notably at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival. There, she performed a 13-song set with artists like Brandi Carlile and Marcus Mumford, including her well-known songs “A Case of You” and “Big Yellow Taxi.”

Two years after that, she performed at the Grammys for the first time at the 2024 show, delivering a memorable performance of “Both Sides Now.”

Her incredible performances lately are a result of her dedication to getting better after a health issue. In a 2020 interview with Cameron Crowe for The Guardian, she explained she was making steady, if slow, progress, saying, “Just inching my way along… moving forward.”

Honestly, hearing her talk about recovering from the aneurysm just breaks my heart, but it’s also so inspiring! She said she literally had to relearn everything. Can you imagine? She couldn’t walk, she had to teach her body how again, and she couldn’t even talk! It’s just… incredible how far she’s come. Every little detail she shares just makes me admire her even more. It’s a testament to her strength, truly.

Although polio affected me, the aneurysm was much more debilitating,” she said. “It took away my ability to speak and walk. I recovered my speech fairly quickly, but I’m still working on regaining my ability to walk. But I’m a determined person – I have Irish heritage! I just knew I had another challenge to overcome.

To see all the stars joining Joni at the 2026 Grammys, keep reading…