I am a massive Joni Mitchell fan. I’ve listened to her albums countless times, poring over her searingly poetic lyrics and marveling at the constantly changing colors of her signature voice. During quarantine, I found myself listening to Joni even more, and began to discover newer meanings in songs that I thought I knew inside and out. As a result, my love for Joni and her music deepened even further, and inspired me to begin this project—still a work in progress, but filled with my interpretations of some of Joni’s most respected work. This includes her breakout album Blue, as well as my personal favorites The Hissing of Summer Lawns and Hejira.
Joni’s work explores the hypocrisy of modern society and the individual’s place within it. She is an observer, both of herself and others, and her lyrics paint portraits of characters searching and failing, resisting and conforming. Joni herself is often the central character in her songs, and the dichotomy between her quest for independence and her need for companionship is a recurring theme throughout. She is an expert storyteller, and her ability to document specific moments—and extract wisdom from within them—is masterful.