Joni Mitchell awake and in good spirits

Joni Mitchell is awake and in good spirits, it's been confirmed.

The 71-year-old folk singer was taken to hospital in Los Angeles via ambulance yesterday after being found unconscious at her home. Although no details about her illness have been announced, her representatives have posted an update on her official website.

"She regained consciousness on the ambulance ride to an L.A. area hospital. She is currently in intensive care undergoing tests and is awake and in good spirits. More updates to come as we hear them. Light a candle and sing a song, let's all send good wishes her way," the message read.

TMZ was the first to report Joni's hospitalisation, at the time claiming it appeared to be "quite serious". It's understood medical professionals were summoned to her home in Bel Air via a 911 call after she was discovered at around 2.30pm.

Joni is best known for her songs including Big Yellow Taxi and Woodstock.

She no longer sings, previously saying that years of smoking have adversely affected her voice. The star also suffers from Morgellons Disease, which is a rare skin condition that makes sufferers feel as if there is something crawling beneath their flesh.

She opened up about the condition to Billboard magazine at the end of last year, explaining it was the big reason why she no longer tours.

"I can't fly without consequences at this point – I can fly off to Canada, that's about all I can handle. And I'm sick on both ends for about ten to 12 days," she explained. "It's all that heavy metal in the air, and also viruses. My immune system is also very taxed, and the metal that comes off the exhaust and gets into the cabin and gets into my system... just being delicate. I'm always jetlagged so touring was always hard for me. And now it's kind of impossible."