One of the biggest moments of the 66th Grammy Awards was when Joni Mitchell took the stage for her first-ever Grammys performance. Brandi Carlile joined her and gave a moving introduction beforehand, emphasizing the massive influence Mitchell has had on singer-songwriters for generations.
"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 from the Grammys stage.
"Joni is one of the most influential and emotionally generous creators in human history," she continued. "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."
After Carlile's introduction, the lights went down as the piano intro to Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" began. Although the folk legend has won 10 Grammys — including the award for Best Folk Album this year — this marked her first-ever performance at the show.
As the lights came up, Mitchell appeared in a chair onstage. Initially sitting away from the audience, Mitchell's chair turned and revealed a stage featuring chandeliers, a cast of string players and background singers, and Carlile, who sat beside her and contributed guitar and vocals. The crowd sat in reverence as Mitchell sang the timeless lyrics.
Joni Mitchell performing “Both Sides Now” at the Grammys to a standing ovation.
80 years old & a legend. pic.twitter.com/KxDaw2wsfa— Nicky Clark (@MrsNickyClark) February 5, 2024
Midway through the performance, the camera showed reactions from audience members. Meryl Streep and her daughter Mamie looked on with obvious emotion, as did Beyoncé. The audience sprang up for a standing ovation as the end of the performance, and stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Taylor Swift and Lainey Wilson looked truly appreciative of Mitchell's artistry.
Host Trevor Noah brought Mitchell's Grammy award to her at the end of the performance. The award honors her live album, Joni Mitchell at Newport, from her performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 2022.
