Key facts
- Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields festival raised $20 million for women's well-being nonprofits.
- The festival featured female-led artists and aimed to support women's health, labor protections, and legal rights.
- Rodrigo announced a $10 million donation to 10 organizations prior to the event.
- Melinda French Gates pledged an additional $10 million.
- The event was inspired by the 1990s Lilith Fair festival.
Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields festival successfully raised $20 million for women's well-being nonprofits, channeling the spirit of 1990s feminist pop-rock. The event, held in Irvine, California, featured a lineup of women-led artists including Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Bikini Kill, focusing on themes of women's health, labor protections, and legal rights.
Prior to the festival, Rodrigo announced that $10 million had already been raised for 10 beneficiary groups such as Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center, and Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Philanthropist Melinda French Gates surprised attendees by pledging an additional $10 million through her organization, Pivotal Ventures, praising Rodrigo for empowering a new generation.
Rodrigo, 23, expressed hope for the future despite the current "regression of women's rights," drawing inspiration from the name "Daisy Chain" to symbolize unity and strength. The festival aimed to connect younger donors with nonprofits that have struggled to engage this demographic, offering a "philanthropy village" for attendees to interact with beneficiary organizations and learn about their services.
The event's approach echoes the feminist momentum of the 1990s, particularly the Lilith Fair festival founded by Sarah McLachlan, which also raised significant funds for charity. Caren Spruch of Planned Parenthood highlighted how concerts serve as a vital tool for reaching people and normalizing reproductive health discussions, especially in the current climate of restricted access to abortion and reproductive care.
Attendees like Grace Slevin, 24, and Melissa Shaw, 33, with her 8-year-old daughter, appreciated the music's connection to the cause and the opportunity for education and engagement with the beneficiary organizations.