“And quite a few people told me I sounded like Joni Mitchell, who I’d never heard of at the time, so I went out and bought the albums Blue and Court and Spark,” Miller-Heidke says.

“It was the mid-90s and I was listening to all the music my friends were, Regurgitator, Korn, Smashing Pumpkins and Nirvana - lots of angry men.

“Discovering Joni at that time, it was like my whole world just burst open all of a sudden, the horizon moved somehow, and it’s never been the same.”

It’s been more than 50 years since Mitchell, herself not long out of her teens, first started singing in church basements and meeting halls; her trademark voice and lyrics about love and loss and life continue to stir audiences to this day.

Mitchell has inspired many artists, Prince, Madonna, James Taylor and, closer to home, a group of five diverse women who are coming together for a series of concerts Both Sides Now: Celebrating The Songs Of Joni Mitchell.

To a one, Miller-Heidke, Wendy Matthews, Ella Hooper, Kristin Berardi and Rachel Gaudry all cite the singer-songwriter as someone who changed their life.

For Matthews, who grew up in Canada with Mitchell’s music in her life “from day one”, being part of this show is extra special. She’s performed in the show once before, in 2009, along with Berardi and Guadry, and considers it a “no brainer” to take part again.

“At different times in my life Joni has meant different things to me,” says Matthews, now 58.

“I must say as I've gotten older she means more and more, especially her later work … with age and experience I hear her words and stories and the character of the person behind them.

“She was a pretty special poet, she can put words to feelings we all feel, things we find it hard to find words for, she's an extraordinary poet like that and that’s why people fell at her feet.

“She spoke the truth and her poetry speaks to us all at a deep level.”

At a time where women are once again speaking their truth, has Mitchell’s music found a new audience?

“I was just running through a song I might be doing for the show called The Gallery which is kind of her #MeToo song about Leonard Cohen and what a philandering bastard he was,” Miller-Heidke says.

“I don't feel as though she's ever gone out of style and I don't feel as though only women like her music.

“It pisses me off when I see Joni Mitchell labelled the number one female songwriter … she is the number one across the board and she doesn’t have to be categorised as female.”

For Ella Hooper, who admits to being “honoured and excited and terrified all at the same time” about being asked to sing Mitchell songs that she “heard in the womb”, the experience is twofold.

“It’s a brilliant time for women in music, we're communicating our stories and our situations and taking up space like never before,” she says.

“It’s a wonderful thing, it’s been a long time coming for women to have as much spotlight and as many great opportunities.”

That said, Hooper acknowledges the music industry is sexist and ageist “but you can’t deny the contribution of women to the musical canon of almost every genre - and women are always great storytellers.”

For all involved the opportunity to work with a group of women is part of the appeal.

“I relish these experiences because of what I will learn from the other women,” Hooper says.

“Some of it will be musical but some of it will be their attitudes, their stories, the way they've handled themselves throughout the different stages and levels in their careers, it’s an awesome opportunity in that sense too.”

This incarnation of the show has been scaled down from seven performers to five, Matthews says, but there’s still a 12-piece band and a range of songs from all of Mitchell’s songbook.

“It’s an extraordinary thing to be able to work on somebody else’s stuff, songs that you completely admire so deeply on every level, I love that,” she says.

There’s been no infighting about who gets to sing what song, the group weaves in and out of the lead, supporting each other with back-up vocals, rehearsals have had a fantastic vibe.

“The way the things been curated is quite clever,” Miller-Heidke says.

“Kristin and Rachel have a jazz background and are better suited to take on some of the later stuff whereas I'm more drawn to the ’60s and ’70s stuff ... Ella brings her slightly huskier edge and Wendy has such an incredible voice.”

Hooper wonders what Mitchell, now 74, would think of the show.

“I hope she'd like it,” Hooper says.

“I reckon she'd be a tough cookie to please. She's not one who suffers fools for all I've read about her. I just hope we do her justice.”

Both Sides Now: Celebrating the songs of Joni Mitchell. Sydney Opera House, Sydney, July 15; Melbourne Arts Centre, Melbourne, July 17; Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane, July 18; Canberra Theatre, Canberra, July 20.