How many of you have seen the captivating clip of Amanda Seyfried playing the dulcimer and singing “California” by Joni Mitchell on The Tonight Show? Her voice is strong, ethereal, and crystal clear, and her dulcimer skills are enchanting. That being said, I did not actually know what a dulcimer was prior to watching this video. So, maybe her dulcimer skills are just mediocre. My point is, the video is enthralling and both Amanda’s cover and Joni’s original “California” seem to be gaining popularity online with each passing day.
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Prior to watching this clip, I had also never heard “California”. Growing up, my parents would play me their “oldies” from the 70s and 80s, but somehow Joni was never in rotation. Probably her soprano stylings were too much for my mom who loved The Rolling Stones and my dad who leaned toward the twangier tunes of John Prine. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve dipped my toes into the waters of Joni Mitchell’s discography, but I must confess: Many of the Joni songs that I now know and enjoy I have learned through other artists’ covers. “River” I learned via Ben Platt, “Big Yellow Taxi” through Counting Crows featuring Vanessa Carlton (and later re-discovered thanks to Harry Styles). This is not entirely surprising as many of the artists that I listen to today cite Joni’s poetic lyricism as a source of inspiration in their own songwriting and performing.
What is entirely surprising is learning that Joni Mitchell has a history of (and apparent fondness for) dressing up in blackface. I don’t mean once at a costume party to be “funny” or “edgy” (although that is how it started), I mean multiple times. In fact, she created an entire persona — Art Nouveau, a black male pimp — and even dressed as him for the original cover of her album Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter.
I first found out about Joni Mitchell’s -ahem- complicated relationship to race from TikTok creator @st4rgazing.
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I was reasonably shocked and confused after seeing this video. How can someone with a history of doing something so offensive and flat out racist also be SO universally beloved? I flew to the comments section to find mixed reviews. Many were just surprised as I was while others claimed they can “separate the art from the artist”.
Upon further research, I learned that Joni has been questioned on multiple occasions about this controversy. Each time, she has doubled down and defended her choice to don blackface. From what I can tell, Joni seems to think that her appreciation for black musicians and their art make her actions excusable. According to a Telegraph article from 2023, Joni also used the Art Nouveau persona as a way to push back against critics who did not take her art seriously due to her numerous romantic relationships within the music industry.
In a 1988 interview for Q Magazine exploring her venture into the jazz genre, Joni claims that she was not influenced by the talented black musicians she collaborated with but her own “blackness”. She goes on to explain the series of events that led her to first dress up in blackface. She even casually drops the n-word a bit later in the interview.
In a piece in LA Weekly, Joni says, “I don't have the soul of a white woman. I write like a black poet. I frequently write from a black perspective”.
These interviews and more can be found on the official Joni Mitchell website. Political correctness be damned, Joni is standing by her words and actions.
This is not an attempt to “cancel” Joni Mitchell or write some kind of exposé. That has been done before and I am by no means a journalist. This is just me processing my genuine shock, horror, and naïvety because my mind has been reeling since I found out.
How many other icons from the same era are this casually offensive? Better yet, how can so many of my favorite artists hold Joni Mitchell in such high regard? Did they not do their research when getting into her music? Are they as unaware as I was up until this week? If that’s true why were they touting themselves as such huge fans? Is this a widely known fact and I just live under a rock? Or worse, is it widely known and ignored? Does Amanda Seyfried have the answers I’m looking for???
There is no shortage of online discourse regarding Joni’s actions. I feel slightly validated each time I read a comment on an article wondering why this controversy isn’t common knowledge. Unfortunately, I see just as many reviews claiming that “it was a different time” and “her achievements shouldn’t be discredited over this”. What is it that I’m missing? I can admit “California”, “Big Yellow Taxi”, and “River” are beautiful pieces of work. But why does that justify her repeated history of racist behavior? Making excuses feels a lot like turning a blind eye.
If you’re reading this and you were also unaware of Joni’s problematic past, sorry to have burdened you with this knowledge. But I do think this was a good reminder for me — be cautious with who you follow whether they’re an up-and coming-artist or an established musician. Do your research and hold people accountable.
I’ve referenced a few articles throughout this post. There are more that I found while doing my research. Here is a list of them for quick reference:
When Joni Mitchell wore blackface for Halloween
Joni Mitchell Faces Accusations of Racism as Blackface Images Resurface
Q Magazine - May 1988 - This is a scanned copy of the original magazine. The interview transcript can also be found on Joni Mitchell’s official website.
The strange story behind Joni Mitchell’s ‘outrageous’ blackface experiment
Understanding Joni Mitchell’s genius from both sides now - this piece from LA Times is a review of Ann Powers’ recent book, Traveling: On the Path of Joni Mitchell
If you’re still here, thanks for going down the rabbit hole with me.