Joni Mitchell is officially an American.

The Canadian-born singer, 82, has famously lived in California since the 1960s. She famously lived in Los Angeles' Laurel Canyon, where former flame Graham Nash wrote the 1970 song "Our House" about their home. But it wasn't until this week that she announced she'd become an American citizen.

"A journey that began 62 years ago," she captioned a photo of herself standing in front of a U.S. Department of Homeland Security flag, a U.S. flag, and holding a mini one in her hand.

The timing was puzzling, given that the singer/songwriter was already well into her seventh decade in the U.S., but she made clear her motivations in a statement issued on Thursday, according to PEOPLE.

"I became a citizen so I could vote. I didn't give up my Canadian citizenship, and I never will," she said. "I'm a proud Canerican like Neil Young." Her fellow countriesman himself became a dual U.S.-Canadian citizen in 2020.

Mitchell, who released her first album, Song to a Seagull, in 1968, came to the U.S. for the first time with then-husband Chuck Mitchell, with whom she lived in Detroit. After their split, she moved to New York City, where she wrote "Chelsea Morning" about her apartment in the Manhattan neighborhood of the same name, before she moved west.

The 11-time Grammy winner lives in Santa Barbara these days, having noted that L.A. is her "workplace" and British Columbia is her "heartbeat."

Mitchell has criticized President Donald Trump, saying during a 2024 concert, "I wish I could vote."

At the time, Billboard reported that Mitchell had responded to a fan in the crowd who yelled an insult about the president, saying 'fuck Donald Trump', I love that song." Mitchell had just performed the tune "Dog Eat Dog," ad-libbing after the lyric "big-wig financiers" the addendum "like Donald Trump."

She lamented then, "I wish I could vote," and that she was "one of those lousy immigrants."

After she posted about her new legal status, Nash commented on her post, congratulating her that she could now vote.

Commenters on Mitchell's post had strong opinions on her becoming a citizen at such a divisive and precarious time in the nation's history.

There were disappointed Canadians, but also people excited she would have a vote in the upcoming midterm elections.