If you’ve ever had the pleasure of getting caught up in stop-and-go traffic on I-5 South through Orange County, California, you may have been confused by what appears to be a giant floating orange. That “orange” is in fact a hot air balloon. It belongs to the 1,300 acre Irvine Great Park, typically home to local sports and leisure recreation. On Aug. 29, however, it was the grounds for the festival founded by three-time Grammy recipient Olivia Rodrigo, featuring a stacked all-female lineup.
The balloon itself received a cosmetic upgrade, casting a familiar shadow over the grounds yet presenting with more color and flair than usual. The addition of a massive daisy graphic and a pink box reading “Daisy Chain Fields” were in order for the inaugural music festival of the same name.
At only 23 years old, Rodrigo created Daisy Chain Fields with the intention of uplifting women and girls in the music industry and all around the world. In partnership with 10 nonprofit organizations, representatives from each were present at the festival, elevating their reach with a common mission to advance and advocate for women and girls.
The fact that Rodrigo is using her platform for a purpose beyond herself at a young age is inspiring to fans and beyond. She has shown up for her Gen Z peers and sent a message that though many are frustrated with what is happening in the world right now, individual voices matter and there is power in community. The festival provides a space of visibility for all women and allies, fostering a sense of sisterhood and genuine joy throughout the day.
In selecting the 14 artists to grace the Daisy Chain stage, each received a call from Rodrigo herself on the other line. On top of the individual sets, special guests Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette and Sarah McLachlan joined Rodrigo during her set.
The excitement of such guests built intergenerational anticipation throughout the day, exacerbated by the excitingly diverse roster of contemporary and veteran artists. Factor in the cause, the community and all of the exciting things to do and see inside? Resultantly, it is no surprise Daisy Chain Fields ended up raising over $20 million to donate after philanthropist Melinda French Gates matched Olivia Rodrigo’s initial announcement of $10 million.
Also present was Sarah McLachlan, co-founder of Lilith Fair, the late 1990s music festival that spotlighted women to oppose patriarchal industry norms, all the while raising money to support women’s charities.
Years later, women are still fighting for equity against the same ingrained power structures. In this way, Daisy Chain Fields is like a “little sister” to Lilith Fair — hence Rodrigo earning McLachlan’s blessing and enthused participation.
Though exposition is important… in order to truly understand the mission, the significance and the triumphs of Daisy Chain Fields, one has to understand the community that made it happen that day. It wouldn’t have been possible without moms and their daughters, teenage best friends and girls who are angry with the world but find comfort in the music.
“It’s like Barbieland!”
The festival interior truly felt like a girls’ night collage session come to life. Wherever one cast their view, florals, shades of pink and endless outfit inspiration were sure to be in scope.
Carla, 22, was there with two friends to see Die Spitz. Donned in a colorful scarf, she told KCPR that, “everyone’s beauty, everyone’s outfits, everyone’s true personality is popping out. Festivals are just a perfect time for everyone to express themselves, especially this one.”
“Daisy Lane,” the festival grounds’ main pathway, was marked with landmark achievements and quotes by historical female figures.
Of course — a major theme of the day was the showcase of collective creative pursuits, including art installations.
“Are you curious? Come inside, reflect, share, connect,” read a poster on the exterior of LA-based interdisciplinary artist Ariel Zana’s space at the festival. Here, all were welcome to borrow an acrylic marker and step into her room of mirrors.
“I always knew the words” is the name of the show. Questions such as “who has made you smile today?” and “where do you feel the most yourself?” were posed to entering participants, inviting positive reflection and connection on one’s self and circle.
“My main thing is that a lot of us aren’t kind to ourselves in the mirror,” Zana said. After Zana realized that for a fact, she started asking herself questions in the mirror, finding that it helped her to focus on her inward beauty instead of obsessing over outside perception.
“I wanted to share that here,” Zana said. “Literally all of my dreams have come true today! I’ve thought of every type of person that I was hoping to see in here, and they just keep on walking up to me. This is a peak girlhood experience.”
Yoko Ono’s ongoing “Wish Tree” exhibit also had a place at Daisy Chain Fields. Ono originally debuted the installation in 1996. 30 years later, over one million wishes have been collected from spaces all over the world.
A sample of crowd wishes collected at Daisy Chain Fields read as follows:
“For all folks to feel love, safety, & ease.”
“That my daughter can be exactly who she wants to be.”
“For peace, love, and WOMEN’S RIGHTS.”
When Daisy Chain Fields was but an unacted-upon concept, Rodrigo told Good Morning America of how she envisioned girls sprawling out to lounge in the grass together, making daisy chains and friendship bracelets while chatting to pass the time. These elements absolutely carried over.
The festival was branded to perfection with floral motifs galore, plush lounge elements and stages set with larger-than-life pins that festivalgoers could actually collect. Vibrant colors and celebrations of feminine achievement and joy are choice descriptors of the festival’s aesthetic.
Audioscaping the Day
Quiet Light, an up-and-coming ambient indie artist (and part-time medical student) who has described her songs as “dream sequences,” set the soundtrack for the day at the Marigold Stage in the late morning.
The Marigold Stage served as a hub for the day’s more alternative and rock-heavy artists, featuring bands such as Bikini Kill, The Breeders and Garbage down the line.
Devon Again followed shortly, charming spectators of the larger Dandelion Stage at the festival’s opposite end with twangy, sass-backed tracks and a fiery performance. Before each set of the day, an intro to the artist was provided by a supporting nonprofit and a moment to speak about their organization’s mission.
The moments leading up to this set differed slightly from the rest, however. Devon Again was a last minute addition to the festival’s lineup, announced after KATSEYE had to drop due to member Megan Skiendiel’s ankle injury. KATSEYE active members Lara Raj, Megan Skiendiel and Yoonchae Jeong made a surprise appearance before Devon Again’s set, introducing the nonprofit Baby2Baby and its work to provide essentials such as diapers and clothing to children living in poverty. The trio also shared their love for Devon Again, their fans and the festival, regretful that they could not perform but happy to be there to support the cause and the performing artists regardless.
In spite of Daisy Chain Fields serving as a sort of utopian, matriarchal escape, thoughts of the outside world had their way of running rampant. If anybody had any woes or bits of rage to drop off throughout the day, they were welcome to visit the Guerrilla Girls’ “complaint department” at their festival installation, “The Art of Behaving Badly.”
The Guerrilla Girls, an anonymous collective of feminist artist activists, have been fighting sexism and racism in pop culture since 1985. Their motto? “Do one thing. If it works, do another. If it doesn’t, do another anyway. Creative complaining works!” according to their website.
The “complaint” walls of the exhibit were already filling up by noon. “Abolish ICE,” “f**k AI,” “free Palestine,” “my body, my choice,” “f**k Trump” and “women don’t owe you shit!” were sentiments scrawled in chalk.
Carrying that energy into the next, Die Spitz and Bikini Kill’s sets were a riot grrrl’s time to shine (and rage).
Die Spitz is an all-female punk quartet made up of Austin, Texas 22-year-olds. Since coming together as a band in 2022, the group has opened for hardcore and punk powerhouses Sleater-Kinney, OFF! and Amyl and the Sniffers, among others. Similar to this lineup, they are also set to perform prior to Bikini Kill on Sept. 11 in Austin, providing support for the rock pioneers on the young group’s very own Texas turf.
A technical issue initially delayed Die Spitz’s set, so bassist Kate Halter naturally passed the time doing handstands. This may seem strange to those unfamiliar, but according to prior concert reviews, that’s pretty commonplace behavior for a Die Spitz show. Only a few handstands later… the band launched full-force into the heaviest metal that Daisy Chain Fields had ever seen, kicking things off with “I hate when GIRLS die.”
“We’re gonna try to open the pit at the Olivia Rodrigo show,” Halter told Stereogum in June.
And that they did.
“I love you!” screams Brigid, 25, from the crowd after the song ends and the movement of the masses comes to an anticipatory pause.
“Love you too,” responds vocalist Eleanor Livingston.
The band is clearly having fun — as per the group’s on-stage antics and beyond, including running across the festival grounds throughout the day to catch the next set. But what they’re doing isn’t just for fun, it’s for protest, power and visibility. The band uses their platform to speak on real issues affecting marginalized groups in the world, urging against complacency.
Though Olivia Rodrigo and Die Spitz may not be of the same musical genre, this sense of caring and taking action is where the overlap comes in. This is the reason why Die Spitz are here at Daisy Chain Fields (and will later open for Rodrigo on the European leg of her tour in 2027).
Bikini Kill drew in a crowd ranging from seasoned fans to curious spectators for similar reasons. Bikini Kill would be nothing without their activism and firm stance that basic human decency is an inalienable right.
“This is the part where I usually say ‘girls to the front,’ but you’re all already up here,” cried out the band’s frontwoman (and Riot Grrrl pioneer, feminist icon, OG cool girl, etc.), Kathleen Hanna. All of the girls (at the front) went on to move about, sing along and scream to classics such as “Double Dare Ya,” “Alien She” and “Rebel Girl.”
A majority-female mosh pit at a show is an absolute dream for many that became reality at Daisy Chain Fields. That level of support and girlhood in a pit, circling and respectfully thrashing to girl power anthems, was something really special to watch and participate in.
Speaking of, “girl power” as a phrase was originally coined and popularized by Bikini Kill in the second issue of their feminist fanzine (1991). Hanna cites inspiration from the Black Power slogan of the Civil Rights Movement, a meaningful nod to an important history.
Bikini Kill seemed to be a prime common denominator of the day between all generations. 14-year-old Gabby Jacobs and her mom, Trish, were nothing short of thrilled to have been there together.
“Oh Bikini Kill? I would have died to get into a show of theirs when I was her age,” Trish said, giggling.
Gabby jumps in, “I was in the mosh pit!”
“That was her first one too,” Trish said. “I was like, ‘go, my child, go.’”
Aside from the beauty of the mosh and cross-generational connection, Daisy Chain Reaction was another must-see — the standing home to the festival’s ten supporting nonprofits. The line was long to enter the (air-conditioned) building, but upon doing so, guests had the opportunity to engage with each and every organization and earn that organization’s pin.
Booth activities included flower crown making with Jhpiego, indigenous weaving technique with John Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health and a crowd-led affirmation wall with Black Mamas Matter Alliance.
Madeline Halperin-Robinson was present during the day with the Center for Reproductive Rights. Halperin-Robinson serves as the organization’s digital director of marketing and communication in their mission to ensure widespread access to reproductive healthcare and bodily autonomy..
“It has been really powerful here,” she said. “Being here today, the engagement, the interest that people have coming to our booth — has been just impressive and exciting. People want to learn, they want to talk and they have stories to share.”
On the day of the festival, shade was sparse and the southern California August heat is no joke. Staying hydrated was of major importance. Those who wished for a free, flavorful break from water could make their way over to the festival’s Taco Bell pop-up, an exciting stepping stone along the path to and from the Dandelion Stage.
This space was home to Rodrigo’s new collaboration with the chain, a twist on the iconic Mountain Dew Baja Blast playfully titled after the singer’s latest album. “You Seem Pretty Pink for a Baja Blast” was a hit. Festivalgoers had the opportunity to hang out in the space, sip on their drinks and take photos with the giant drink model and playful drive-thru-inspired landscaping. The most popular consumption technique seemed to be the “grab and go…” carrying the beverage to whichever upcoming set or corner of the festival was calling.
Back to the music, Santigold was all smiles in delivering her bold, genre-bending set to the masses on the Dandelion Stage.
“If it weren’t for women, none of us would be here,” she said early on. The energy was infectious, even blooming into an on-stage dance competition during her performance of “Unstoppable” and beyond.
Audience members are subtly reminded to check on their person for valuables as Mitski begins her day’s set with “Where’s my Phone,” a track off of her newest album “Nothing’s About to Happen to Me.” The artist sings while patting around her body to mime the action of frantically looking for her device, a prime example of how literal she can be with acting out lyrics when performing.
Mitski presented herself so beautifully on Saturday that audience members couldn’t help but be quietly captivated (or quietly crying) during her set.
In the story of her becoming a part of Daisy Chain Fields, Mitski told the audience of Rodrigo’s initial call. “Okay, Olivia Rodrigo. Sure, a big festival benefitting women and girls? Yeah, I guess I’ll find time!” Each additional song Mitski played warranted a mix of excited cheers and existential sighs. The singer’s set ended after a mix of newer tracks and fan favorites, including live rarity “Pearl Diver” off the singer’s 2012 debut album.
From 5:20p.m. to 6:00p.m., rapper and singer-songwriter Doechii made the Dandelion Stage well and truly hers. Drawing one of the biggest collective crowds of the day, the two-time Grammy winner brought the energy in a way that only she could. She and her stage dancers committed to the festival’s theme — making a powerful (and fun) visual statement by showing up in various shades of full-body pink paint. The dynamic set came to a close with fan favorite “DENIAL IS A RIVER.”
“This set blew my mf mind,” shared Rodrigo in a retrospective Instagram story post regarding Doechii’s performance at Daisy Chain Fields.
A slice of merchandising
During the festival’s organizational period, Rodrigo reached out to 10 female-owned Etsy shops and asked if they would be willing to handmake custom merchandise for the event. This collection became a success, flourishing into its final physical form at Etsy Creative Village. Selin Soysa of Bridalwishdesign was recognized for her work making dried daisy crowns, and excitedly took up the offer to be a part of Daisy Chain Fields.
“We love that [this festival] supports our profession and other women sellers,” Soysa said. “We’re super happy to be part of this collection and just grateful for the opportunity.”
Other merchandise at the Etsy Creative Village activation included pins and patches, junk journal kits and even a full-blown hair jewelry/tinsel station. Festivalgoers were able to shop around each booth and purchase merchandise from the collection. The space additionally offered visitors the opportunity to customize their very own free-of-charge keepsake; a beaded safety pin charm (reminiscent of Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS” album era).
Seeing as Etsy is an online service and does not operate any brick-and-mortar retail storefronts, typical Etsy purchases are purely transactional and do not involve much person to person interaction or storytelling. The Etsy Creative Village space was a unique inclusion to Daisy Chain Fields in that it allowed for fans to interact with and learn from the makers of this merchandise.
“I love that those attending the festival can work with these artists directly to take home their own individual creation,” said Rodrigo in a press release.
Much like Etsy, another popular online retailer showed up and made a splash at the festival. Depop, a fashion resale platform, brought their brand to life at the dubbed “Depop Oasis.” The brand has made festival appearances before, choosing to do so on a recurring basis for means of connecting with its community. This activation featured clothing and accessory customization options, Depop-sourced item giveaways and floral/picnic themed photo opportunities. In dealing with the heat of the day, one also couldn’t pass up a “Depopsicle” sweet treat freebie to cool down.
Subjectively, the coolest piece of merchandise that the festival had to offer was the Daisy Chain Fields Zine. The zine featured bits and pieces of the Daisy Chain world, including words from additional performing artists of the day, Eli, Rachel Chinouriri and Not For Radio.
In referencing the zine’s messaging: 16-year-old Willow, standing alongside her best friend, emphasized “the power of a collective — [and how] an individual alone can’t make a driving force towards progress and change.”
1990s alt(ernative) girls have witnessed (and been pivotal) to so much of said progress and change. Powerhouses of the era, Garbage and The Breeders, were both at the festival to perform at the Marigold Stage. Yet again, fans new and old gathered to watch.
There’s a reason why The Dandy Warhols have a song titled “Cool as Kim Deal,” and Daisy Chain Fields attendees were lucky enough to bear witness themselves.
The Breeders are Kim Deal, her twin sister Kelley Deal, Josephine Wiggs and Jim Macpherson, with their band name as a nod to queer slang — a playful jab at heteronormativity. The band’s earliest iteration dates back to the dying days of the 1980s as a side project for Kim Deal, who was then involved full-time with Pixies.
The Breeders played a stellar set including many tracks off of their 1993 hit album, “Last Splash.” The day after the festival, Rodrigo shared a video of the band performing “Cannonball” on Instagram: “This is the best song ever made fyi,” she added.
There’s something really special about bands that carry their values into their music. Shirley Manson of Garbage is no stranger to speaking out for what she believes in, addressing the crowd with empowering words and striking chords with the youth similar to Kathleen Hanna earlier in the day.
“I just want to reach out to anyone who’s here tonight, who’s feeling a little dismayed by the way of the world,” Manson said, offering support and a message to keep pushing forward and being there for one another.
The band played hits including “I Think I’m Paranoid,” “Special” and “Stupid Girl,” with the latter including elements of Bikini Kill’s “Rebel Girl” in its outro. All-in-all, the set was woven together wonderfully and received well by its diverse audience.
Towards the back of the crowd, amidst the movement, Penelope Ortiz was donned in a hand-stamped tee reading “girls invented punk rock, not England.” The festival meant a lot to her by reason of community and connection.
“I feel like this is something that we really need at this time. The fact that she brought all of this together, and I can say I was here for the first one, is really special,” Ortiz said.
Chappell Roan’s return to the stage after months away was much anticipated. The production value of her set was off the charts, a high-energy, high-involvement transition from day to night as the sun started to go down.
Roan showed up channeling a stewardess from the 1997 sci-fi film “The Fifth Element,” a uniquely inspired look that tracks with her record of more experimental fashion. It is so evident in her presentation that Roan knows how to get an audience engaged. You may not even realize just how many of her lyrics you actually know until she’s right there in front of you — and somehow, the words just flow out with each song.
The crowd was more active than ever during “HOT TO GO!,” hands visibly up and moving in all directions as the iconic accompanying dance was performed by tens of thousands.
Though the segue from “Casual” straight to “The Subway” was brutal, the representation that Roan provides as an openly lesbian pop star is important. Music is for and by everyone, and Roan’s is directly connected to a community which is so often underrepresented and overlooked in music. Her tracks are so catchy that anyone can sing along and enjoy, but the space for deeper resonance is there and it is invaluable.
Daisy Chain Fields wouldn’t be complete without a performance from founder Olivia Rodrigo herself. Forty thousand people settled as close as they could to the stage, stretching back far into the grounds.
“I feel like I’m dreaming. You guys, this is the best day of my f**king life! What the hell?” Rodrigo calls out before jumping into “my way.”
“Serena Joy,” a new song released in direct anticipation of the festival, pays homage to female subjugation and struggle as per Margaret Atwood’s dystopian novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale” (1985). The song’s live debut was especially exciting given that a portion of the proceeds go to the Daisy Chain Fund, and the additional context of listening alongside so many others all attending to support the cause.
Soon after, Rodrigo brought out Sarah McLachlan to sing “Building a Mystery,” making this moment a beautiful full-circle regarding Lilith Fair’s inspiration for Rodrigo’s contemporary vision. A duet of “Angel” followed, dedicated to the recently-deceased Dolly Parton who women and Americans everywhere hold near and dear.
After a few more songs, including “drivers license” and “the cure,” Rodrigo announced that Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs would not be attending as planned… but, Alanis Morissette came through in her place, all smiles on stage for a surprise performance of “Ironic.”
During “all-american bitch,” Rodrigo mirrored from Mannequin Pussy’s trademark collective “primal scream,” encouraging all to take a moment to let their frustration out into the night. The ensuing sound was cathartic.
“Stevie, Stevie!” Rodrigo called, summoning the absolute rockstar that is Stevie Nicks for a “Landslide” duet. Emotions are running rampant at this point. The voices of the two blend beautifully, drawing the festival to a sentimental, fulfilling conclusion.
As Rodrigo says in the festival’s mission statement, “daisies are wild and beautiful. As a chain, they are strong and unbreakable.” Ending the day on a high and with a promise from Rodrigo of “see you next year,” wherever that may be, we know that this daisy chain of women will only continue to grow and strengthen.
