Rodrigo wants the festival to connect a new generation with nonprofits and encourage young people to become involved in causes affecting women.
Pop star Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival has raised $20 million for nonprofits supporting women’s health, workplace protections and legal rights, using music to bring together a young audience and organizations working on gender-related issues.
Held in Irvine, California, the women-led festival featured artists including Chappell Roan, Doechii and riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill. Rodrigo announced that the event had raised enough to provide $10 million to 10 nonprofit partners, including Planned Parenthood, the National Women’s Law Center and Black Mamas Matter Alliance. Philanthropist Melinda French Gates then made a surprise appearance during Rodrigo’s set and pledged another $10 million through her organization, Pivotal Ventures.
The 23-year-old singer said she wanted the festival to connect a new generation with nonprofits and encourage young people to become involved in causes affecting women. She said the artists and activists taking part gave her hope despite what she called the “regression of women’s rights.”
The festival also featured a “philanthropy village,” where fans could meet representatives of nonprofit organizations and learn about their work. Planned Parenthood provided information about health services, while the National Domestic Workers Alliance highlighted issues facing caregivers and domestic workers.
Rodrigo drew inspiration from Lilith Fair, the groundbreaking all-women music festival founded by Sarah McLachlan in the 1990s. Lilith Fair raised $10 million for charity between 1997 and 1999. McLachlan performed alongside Rodrigo at the festival on Aug. 29.
The event also highlighted the growing connection between music, activism and philanthropy. Organizers said the funds would allow nonprofit partners to address their most urgent needs, while the organizations said the festival helped them reach younger audiences who may not otherwise encounter their work.
For many attendees, the event was also an opportunity for different generations of women to connect. Some mothers attended with their daughters, while older fans came to see artists such as Bikini Kill alongside younger performers. Rodrigo’s organizers said the festival was designed to show that music could serve not only as entertainment but also as a way to build community and inspire social change.
