Joni Mitchell Makes Rare Appearance for First-Ever Grammys Performance

Originally appeared on E! Online

Joni Mitchell is starting a conversation at the 2024 Grammys.

The legendary singer made a special appearance during the Feb. 4 pre-show to accept the trophy for Best Folk Album for Joni Mitchell at Newport [Live].

"I don't know what to say about this," Mitchell said in her speech. "We had so much fun at that concert, and I think you can feel it on the record. It's a very joyous record because of the people that I played with, and the spirit of the occasion was very high."

The 80-year-old added, "Even the audience sounds like music."

She was up for Best Folk Album against Dom Flemons' Traveling Wildfire, The Milk Carton Kids' I Only See the Moon, Nickel Creek's Celebrants, Old Crow Medicine Show's Jubilee, Paul Simon's Psalms and Rufus Wainwright's Folkocracy. (See the complete winners list.)

Later in the night, Mitchell will take the stage at the Crypto.com Arena for her first-ever Grammy Awards performance. That's right, even though Mitchell had won nine Grammys throughout her career and scored a total of 18 nominations before tonight, she's never performed at the ceremony.

2024 Grammys Best New Artist Nominees

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As for her new music, Mitchell's winning album featured her entire set at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, which marked her first full live performance in 20 years. The surprise appearance, which took place during the Brandi Carlile & Friends show, was also Mitchell's first return to a stage since suffering a near-fatal aneurysm in 2015.

"I've never been nervous about being in front of an audience," she told CBS at the festival in July 2022. "But I want it to be good. And I wasn't sure I could be. But I didn't sound too bad tonight!"

During her time on the stage, Mitchell accompanied herself on the guitar, a skill she'd been relearning since her health scare.

"I'm looking at videos that are on the net to see where I put my fingers," she shared. "It's amazing what an aneurysm knocks out–how to get out of chair! You don't know how to get out of a bed. You have to learn all these things by rote again."

"I was into water ballet as a kid, and I forgot how to do the breaststroke," Mitchell continued. "Every time I tried it, I just about drowned, you know?. So, a lot of going back to infancy almost. You have to relearn everything."

To see all of the 2024 Grammy winners, keep reading...

<p>Album of the Year</p>

<p>Record of the Year</p>

<p>Best New Artist</p>

<p>Song of the Year</p>

<p>Best Pop Duo/Group Performance</p>

<p>Best Pop Vocal Album</p>

<p>Best Music Video</p>

<p>Best Rap Album</p>

<p>Best Rap Song</p>

<p>Best Song Written For Visual Media</p>

<p>Best Latin Pop Album</p>

<p>Best Rock Album</p>

<p>Best Rock Song</p>

<p>Best Country Album</p>

<p>Best Country Song</p>

<p>Best R&B Album</p>

<p>Best R&B Song</p>

The 2024 Grammy Awards air Sunday, Feb. 4, at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on CBS. Don't miss E!'s red carpet coverage starting at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT on E!.