The Daisy Chain Fields festival wrapped its inaugural edition on 29 August at Great Park in Irvine, California, with Olivia Rodrigo announcing from the stage that a $10 million donation raised by the event had been matched by Melinda French Gates, bringing the total to $20 million for women’s and girls’ causes.
The one-day festival, curated by Rodrigo and featuring a lineup made up entirely of women artists and female-fronted acts, had been building to that moment since a press conference the previous day, when Rodrigo confirmed the initial $10 million raised. ‘It’s a real honor to announce that we are donating $10 million to be given directly to these 10 nonprofit partners,’ she told the crowd to applause. Then, mid-headlining set on the night itself, came the French Gates announcement.
Melinda French Gates and the $20 Million Milestone
The match came through Pivotal, which Just Jared describes as ‘a group of organizations she founded to accelerate social progress for women and young people.’ French Gates said in a statement: ‘What Daisy Chain Fields sets in motion will last far beyond a single night, by opening up opportunity for women and girls around the world and showing a new generation how much their voices matter.’
Recipients of the funds named by Rodrigo include Planned Parenthood, Baby2Baby, FreeForm, and the Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health. All artists performed without making a profit, with net proceeds dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls, including organisations supporting reproductive rights, healthcare, and domestic abuse survivors.
Rodrigo had told Pitchfork her vision for the day: a ‘hippie girl, riot grrrl punk type of thing, like flower child meets riot grrrl.’ The philanthropic structure and the all-women lineup were both central to the concept from the start, she said, not add-ons.
The Lineup, the Late Changes, and a Fleetwood Mac Tease
The full bill included Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Bikini Kill, Santigold, The Breeders, Garbage, Rachel Chinouriri, and others, with special guests Stevie Nicks, Karen O, and Sarah McLachlan. Set times released on 11 August were arranged so no artists overlapped across the festival’s two stages.
When Good Morning America’s Diane Sawyer floated the idea of Rodrigo and Nicks performing Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Landslide’ together, Rodrigo replied with a smile: ‘We might make that happen for you, Diane. We’ll see. Can’t give too much away.’
There was one late withdrawal. On 27 August, Katseye announced they would no longer be performing after member Megan Skiendiel sprained her ankle during tour rehearsal. ‘After being evaluated by doctors, she has been advised to stay off it and allow it to properly heal so we can be ready for our upcoming tour,’ the group said in a statement, adding: ‘We know how much our fans were looking forward to seeing us, and it breaks our hearts to disappoint anyone who made plans to be there.’ Devon Again, who had served as the opener on Rodrigo’s Unraveled Tour, was added to the lineup in Katseye’s place.
Rodrigo has spoken about the festival’s origins and its name in several interviews. ‘When I pictured this festival, I had an image in my head of girls sitting underneath a tree, like, making little daisy chains or flower crowns or friendship bracelets,’ she told Good Morning America. On the name itself: ‘I also just like the idea of a daisy chain, how we can all be individual links in this chain that is larger than the individual.’
She has also cited Lilith Fair as a direct inspiration, and revealed that Sarah McLachlan was the first person she contacted after deciding to move forward with the project. ‘She’s a total trailblazer and an incredible artist and friend,’ Rodrigo said.
Tickets and What They Cost
The Daisy Chain Fields website handled ticket sales, with presale registration opening on 24 June and passcodes sent by email or SMS. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. The pricing tiers are: General Admission at $250, General Admission+ at $350, VIP at $500, and Pit Viewing at $1,250.
The festival is also arriving a few months after the release of Rodrigo’s third studio album, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love. ‘I just feel like we need something really positive to do and see, and young girls need awesome role models who are supporting other women and who are engaging in something that’s really joyful and musical and community-oriented,’ she told Pitchfork. The $20 million total will now go to finding out whether she was right.
