Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival concluded Saturday with a $20 million donation to women’s rights and reproductive justice organizations, including a $10 million commitment from Rodrigo and an additional $10 million pledge from philanthropist Melinda French Gates. The event, held at Great Park in Irvine, California, featured an all-female lineup of 10 hours of performances, drawing approximately 45,000 attendees.
The festival marked Rodrigo’s debut as a festival organizer and paid homage to the Lilith Fair legacy, with Rodrigo explicitly crediting the 1990s all-female tour as an inspiration. Sarah McLachlan, founder of Lilith Fair, was recognized during Rodrigo’s headlining set, with Rodrigo stating, “Without Lilith Fair, there would be no Daisy Chain.” McLachlan herself performed duets with Rodrigo, including “Building a Mystery” and “Angel,” dedicated to the late Dolly Parton, who died on August 26.
Rodrigo’s set included new material from her third studio album, “You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love,” alongside fan favorites from her previous albums, “Sour” (2021) and “Guts” (2023). Highlights included a duet with Alanis Morissette on “Ironic” and a closing performance with Stevie Nicks on “Landslide,” which drew a mass singalong. Rodrigo also debuted “Serena Joy,” a song titled after a character from Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
The festival’s beneficiaries include Planned Parenthood, National Women’s Law Center, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and others, with Melinda French Gates calling Rodrigo “a force” and praising her for engaging a younger generation in philanthropy. Rodrigo framed the event as a response to the “regression of women’s rights,” emphasizing the festival’s name as a metaphor for collective strength.
Daisy Chain Fields featured a diverse lineup of women-led acts, including Chappell Roan, Doechii, Bikini Kill, Garbage, Mitski, and Not for Radio, among others. The festival’s structure mirrored Lilith Fair’s approach, prioritizing multigenerational appeal and inclusivity. Attendees and organizers highlighted the event’s role in mobilizing young women, with one attendee noting, “People don’t join together and mobilize unless they feel connected to the group that is mobilizing. What’s better than music?”
The festival’s financial success and cultural impact were underscored by its sold-out attendance and the immediate activation of its fundraising goals. Rodrigo’s initiative follows her history of blending pop-punk and emotional lyricism with social activism, positioning Daisy Chain Fields as both a celebration of women in music and a platform for advocacy.