Sam Fender “Completely Bottled Up” and Shuts Down Joni Mitchell Joke Opportunities

Sam Fender’s Encounter With Joni Mitchell

Sam Fender revealed that he once turned down an opportunity to speak with Joni Mitchell.

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Details of the Interview

He shared this tidbit during a recent interview at Coachella with Shelter. Fender was offered the chance to speak with the legendary singer-songwriter as part of her Joni Jams initiative, but he ultimately declined due to nerves.

Joni Jams were created after the iconic musician suffered a stroke in 2015, leading many to believe she may never perform again. However, she made a triumphant return in 2022, delivering a memorable set at the Newport Folk Festival. Following that, she hosted intimate gatherings called “Joni Jams” for friends and family, where she collaborated with notable artists like Brandi Carlile and Marcus Mumford.

These sessions eventually paved the way for Mitchell to take to the stage again. Fender reflected on how he was invited to perform at one of these events, yet he could not bring himself to accept the invitation.

“Can I tell you something mental? I was offered to go to Joni Jam. You know how people gathered at Joni’s house, and I didn’t go,” he said during the interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=novv_6dqh_m

“Honestly, it was nerves. I thought: ‘I can’t sit next to Joni Mitchell and be like, do you want to listen to this?’” he added. “I was thinking, ‘Does she even want these people?’ Obviously, she did, but yes, I was offered to go, and I turned it down.”

He concluded, “This is one of my great regrets; it really weighs on my mind.”

Recent Developments for Joni Mitchell and Sam Fender

Joni Mitchell made headlines earlier this year for a rare live performance during the La Fireaid show, where she was joined by Taylor Goldsmith from Dawes, Lucius, Taylor McCall, Blake Mills, and Abe Rounds, culminating in a moving set at the 2024 Grammy Awards.

As for Fender, the singer-songwriter recently released his third album “People Watch,” which achieved the largest first-week sales for a British act since Harry Styles. It also saw Fender surpass his previous records, selling more albums than his debut “Hypersonic Missiles” from 2019 and “Seventeen” from 2021 combined, and was recognized as the top-selling vinyl album of 2025.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doith1m6uhc

In a four-star review, NME stated: “Reflexive, analytical, and vulnerable, ‘People Watch’ does exactly what the title suggests: it reflects on the characters, friends, and family who shaped the person he is today. Each track is approached with sensitivity as he reflects on his life—perhaps even with a hint of guilt—and contemplates who he can become.”

Looking ahead to new music, Fender recently hinted at another upcoming album, expressing a “desperate need” to explore a more inspired punk sound in the future. Last month, he used his platform to celebrate the residents of Newcastle during a performance.