There’s a moment during Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘All American Bitch’ when she asks the crowd to think of something that has really, really “pissed them off”, visualise it, and let out one almighty, collective scream. After a day dedicated to fighting gender-based violence and supporting women and girls’ rights, that roar is deafening.
This is Daisy Chain Fields: the inaugural all-women, charity festival put together by Olivia Rodrigo to raise money for non-profits supporting women and girls across the US. And consider that objective well and truly met: the day before the festival, it was announced that each of the 10 carefully selected organisations would receive $1 million in funding. That is, until Melinda French Gates doubled it.
There aren’t many 23-year-olds who could spin their Rolodex and rustle up a killer lineup of musicians and $20 million for charity, but Rodrigo isn’t your average 23-year-old. Despite being part of the major label machine and a Disney Channel alumna, she has fearlessly spoken out in support of causes that matter to her: whether it was singing ‘Fuck You’ with Lily Allen on stage at Glastonbury, dedicated to the Supreme Court justices who overturned Roe v Wade, giving out free contraception at concerts or calling out the “horrific and completely unacceptable” war on Gaza.
And – aside from some truly world-class performances from chart-topping and influential women – there is nothing performative about this festival. It’s a real-deal event designed to educate as well as fundraise.
Arriving on site, amidst a sea of young women in flower crowns and floaty skirts, it’s as seamless as a festival entry can be. In the run-up, local news channels warned of the catastrophe-in-waiting that was hosting 45,000 people in Irvine’s Great Park – a space that had previously only accommodated half as many. Others scaremongered about the dangerously high temperatures. It is hot – very hot – but with multiple shaded areas and hydration stations (a few more would have been welcome), panic is quickly quelled.
Once inside, we make a first stop at Daisy Chain Reaction – an enormous warehouse serving as the festival’s charitable core. Each organisation – Baby2Baby, BlackMamasMatter Alliance, Center For Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom, Jhpiego, John Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Centre, Planned Parenthood – has a physical presence at the festival and a representative even introduces each act on stage throughout the day. It’s a smart way to ensure people aren’t just there to party. In the warehouse, fans are encouraged to collect badges by signing up to charity mailing lists. There are games to play, messages of support to be written, all while organisation representatives explain their mission.
Around the site, acclaimed female visual artists have created large-scale installations which give the festival a Glastonbury-esque feel. Olivia has spoken about her love for the UK mega-fest which she headlined in 2025, and you can feel its influence here, both in the badging around each of the two stages (Marigold and Dandelion), reminiscent of The Park stage, and in the different chill-out zones demarcated by sculptures and fabrics.
Jenny Holzer’s neon pink billboard offers a powerful message of resilience. Yoko Ono’s wishing tree is filled with hopes for the future and Guerilla Girls ‘Complaints Department’ is scrawled with pro-Palestine and anti-capitalism messages.
There’s a get-stuck-in mentality to the entire day, encouraging fans to engage with the community activism of the festival and not just be a bystander. On stage, the billed artists echo that sentiment. From disbelief that something like this could be done – and seemingly so fast – to rallying cries for change and gratitude to Olivia for the invitations (according to Mitski, she made the phone calls herself), their palpable joy and passion emanates across the crowd.
The 14-act lineup is unrivalled. The day starts with relative newcomers Quiet Light and Eli and ascends through the great and good of female talent new and old: The Breeders, Garbage, Bikini Kill sit alongside Doechii, Chappell Roan and Mitski. It’s a slick billing that alternates between two stages (with no clashes).
“There are so many different people of different ages playing at this festival,” notes Bikini Kill’s Kathleen Hanna during their riotous mid-afternoon show. “And you can all learn from each other. We don’t say ‘Girls To The Front’ anymore, particularly because you can’t tell who’s a girl just by looking at them and we don’t want to reinforce that bullshit and I learned that from people way younger than me. They were like, I’m checking you on that; that’s not cool.”
The generation-spanning artists offer many such rousing moments, with Rodrigo purposefully paying dues to those who paved the way when it was much tougher to be a woman in music – or a woman in general. And – as a person quite a bit older than the 20-something clientele – the likes of Kim Deal, Shirley Manson and Bikini Kill make growing older look like a lot of fun.
They preach the value of individuality, that women, girls and trans people can be whoever they want to be, and that it’s important to be fearless and take risks.
But they also talk about the power of the collective, being responsible to those around you and building towards something bigger. It creates a vibe for the day that is honest about the realities of what we’re facing (not least the climate-change weather itself), but also leads with the kind of genuine earnestness and hope that stops it from ever getting heavy or hopeless. “Against the dystopian tide, we believe that human wellbeing is a human right, not a privilege,” declares The Breeders’ Josephine Wiggs. “Thank you to Olivia for inviting us to be a link in the Daisy Chain and for reminding us that we rise or fall together.”
Everyone on the bill is performing for free – but there’s no phoning it in. Throughout the day, every artist delivers a greatest hits masterclass in how to win over a festival crowd, from dance competitions (Santigold), audience participation (the call and response of Rodrigo’s ‘Expectations’ is a fantastic time) and a bangers-only approach to setlisting (Chappell Roan and Mitski’s entire set), there are too many headline-worthy moments to note.
And despite modest budgets for staging, there’s plenty of spectacle. Doechii paints herself pink for the first properly packed set of the day. Chappell dons a Fifth Element-inspired flight attendant two-piece and Rachel Chinouriri emerges as a space-age angel in billowing silver. Even Katseye pops up to introduce their replacement Devon Again (who was subbed in after Megan Skiendiel’s broken foot caused them to cancel.)
Any special guests are saved for Rodrigo, who takes to the stage last. Up first is Sarah McLachlan, whose female-led Lilith Fair festival was the original inspiration behind Daisy Chain Fields. The pair duet on ‘Mystery X’ and ‘Angel’, dedicating it to the queen of philanthropy, Dolly Parton.
Fans are expecting Karen O, but a personal family situation has taken her to the East Coast. Instead, Alanis Morissette arrives to sing ‘Ironic’ with Olivia. She sounds flawless.
The best is saved for last. As Olivia’s set draws to a close, a pause and the lights dimming prompt one chant to slowly build across the Daisy Chain Fields: ‘Ste-vie, Ste-vie’.
And then Rodrigo joins in – ushering White Witch Stevie Nicks to the stage. It’s hard to think of a bolder closer to the festival and in a move of ultimate girlhood, the pair sweetly dance in a circle, hand in hand, while singing ‘Landslide’.
“She reminds me of me when I was her age, about 100 years ago,” Nicks quips, addressing the crowd. “I’m somewhat awestruck that she could do all this. She’s done it with this grace and crazy, crazy energy that she has, and I told her never give that up and never let anyone change you.”
With tears in her eyes, Rodrigo leaves the stage, with just one thing left to say: “See you next year!”
As fans stream out of the park, we leave with the feeling that we’ve witnessed the start of something special: a community-spirited gathering that reminds us of the power of people and coming together. In today’s troubled times, we’re calling that a huge win.
Donate to the Daisy Chain non-profits here.
Photos by Jenn Five. Written contributions from Jenessa Williams.
