Joni Mitchell, 81, wows fans with rare performance for star-studded FireAid Benefit

Joni Mitchell proved that age has had no effect on her incredible stage presence as the veteran star performed for the FireAid Benefit Concert on Thursday night.  

Joni looked regal as she sat in a plush gold chair, singing into a golden microphone and bringing the crowd to tears with her moving rendition of ‘Both Sides Now’. 

The 81-year-old donned a brown draped dress and a matching hat for the performance, complete with a cane and her signature sunglasses. 

Joni has only made a handful of stage appearances since entering her twilight years, with her most recent performance at the 2024 Grammy Awards eliciting a standing ovation from the star-studded crowd. 

The 1969 song was the perfect fit for the emotional event, with the aim of raising money for all those affected by the devastating Los Angeles wildfires in January. 

Opening the event was legendary comedian Billy Crystal, who shared the devastation he felt after losing his own home in the blaze.

“These are the clothes I wore as I fled my house with my wife Janice,” he said. “I stepped to the ground, and I fell to my knees. I had not cried like that since I was 15 years old, and my father had just died.”

The night’s first performer was the ever-iconic Green Day, who sang a duet with pop superstar Billie Eilish to the tune of ‘Last Night on Earth’. 

“We’re still alive, this is California, and we’re all in this together,” said frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. “From the bottom of our hearts, we love you, Los Angeles, and we got your back no matter what.” 

© Getty Images for FIREAID

The night’s performances intersected with stories from people directly affected by the fires, including the story of a Los Angeles firefighter who shared what it was really like on the ground. 

Other iconic moments of the night included Alanis Morissette singing her smash-hits ‘Hand in My Pocket’ and ‘Thank U’. 

“The connections that have been born from this tragedy [are] deeply heartwarming. And LA is a colorful, wild place,” she said on stage. “And when things get hard, we come together really hard. And I feel it.”

© Getty Images for FIREAID

Pink took to the stage later in the night, beginning with ‘What About Us’ before sending her love to the people of LA. 

“If you’re hurting, I’m hurting with you. My heart is with you,” she said. “I’m going to keep my feet on the ground tonight. And I’m going to sing a couple of songs that bring me comfort. And I hope that they do the same for you all.”

A slew of celebrities turned up to support the special event, including Jessica Alba, Samuel L. Jackson, Rod Stewart and Dr. Dre. U2 even donated $1 million to fire relief efforts. 

© Getty Images for FIREAID

All proceeds from the event will go directly to relief efforts and strategies to prevent this devastation in the future. 

Other stars set to perform at FireAid include Lady Gaga, Olivia Rodrigo, the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Stevie Nicks, Jelly Roll, Sting, and John Mayer. 

The show was split across two venues, with a line-up of stars at the Kia Forum in Inglewood and another set at the Intuit Dome.