Max SteventonOlivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival has generated $20 million for organisations supporting women and girls, following a $10m matching commitment from philanthropist Melinda French Gates.
Produced by C3 Presents, the one-day festival took place at Great Park in Irvine, California, on 29 August. Rodrigo announced the initial $10m donation to 10 non-profit organisations before her headline performance.
French Gates subsequently joined Rodrigo on stage and pledged a further $10m through Pivotal Ventures, bringing the total funding committed through the event to $20m.
Daisy Chain Fields was established by Rodrigo as a women-led festival combining live music with fundraising. The inaugural event featured performances from Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Bikini Kill, Garbage, The Breeders, Rachel Chinouriri and Stevie Nicks, alongside appearances from Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan.
The festival was sold out, with reports putting attendance at approximately 45,000. Artists performed without fees, allowing net proceeds from the event to be directed towards its 10 non-profit partners.
The organisations receiving funding work across areas including reproductive rights, maternal health, economic security, Indigenous health, gender-based violence and legal rights.
Partners include Baby2Baby, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, the Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom,wiki Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, the National Domestic Workers Alliance, the National Institute for Reproductive Health, the National Women’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood.
The event also included a dedicated area where festivalgoers could engage with participating non-profit organisations and learn about their work.
Rodrigo has indicated that Daisy Chain Fields will continue beyond its inaugural edition, with the festival positioned as an annual event.
Rodrigo said, “Daisy Chain Fields is about what can happen when we come together and use our collective power to support one another.”