In some ways, my gift for music and writing was born out of tragedy, really, and loss. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
Eventually, with success, I started to feel more and more isolated – like I didn’t have a community of artists. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
I wanted to paint in a folk-artist-y way. My heroes were Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, and Rembrandt. I think Picasso is about as a modern as I got. But I incorporated things that they rejected as well as movements that happened later. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
In New York, the street adventures are incredible. There are a thousand stories in a single block. You see the stories in the people’s faces. You hear the songs immediately. Here in Los Angeles, there are less characters because they’re all inside automobiles. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
My style of songwriting is influenced by cinema. I’m a frustrated filmmaker. A fan once said to me, ‘Girl, you make me see pictures in my head!’ and I took that as a great compliment. That’s exactly my intention. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
I have an aversion to being mislabeled. Here’s a label I’d accept: I’m an ‘individual.’ I’m someone who can’t follow, and doesn’t want to lead. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
I heard someone from the music business saying they are no longer looking for talent, they want people with a certain look and a willingness to cooperate. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
For the first time in my career, I’m working in a fine-arts arena, so I’m finally getting some intelligent reviews. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
Rachmaninoff made a musician out of me. His ‘Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini’ was the piece that sent me into raptures. It spoke to me. To me, it was a tender entreaty for the misunderstood. Joni Mitchell Read Quote
