Earlier
this year, Joni Mitchell performed at the Grammys for the first time, aged 80. Supported by her music partner Brandi Carlile and her band the Joni Jam, she sang Both Sides Now, a song she’d written and released as a solo artist 53 years ago. The song was completely reimagined, her delicate soprano now a rich baritone; her voice speaking of a lifetime of experience. It was a beautiful moment. Mitchell’s performance was particularly poignant given that, in 2015, she’d suffered a brain aneurysm, which left her unable to speak or sing. Her monthly sessions with the Joni Jam, taking place in her living room in LA, were an important part of her rehabilitation process, helping her to reconnect with her voice and eventually perform again.
Mitchell’s story ser ves as a reminder as to the power of our embracing the individuality of our voices. Indeed, each voice is as unique as a fingerprint. It’s why, when we need comfort or solace, we phone someone and say, ‘I just needed to hear your voice.’ It’s why exchanging voice notes feels more human, more intimate, that sending an email. Our voices are our auditory DNA – and we should embrace them.