Olivia Rodrigo has insisted “joy is part of the solution” following the success of Daisy Chain Fields.
The Drop Dead singer spearheaded the new festival, held at Great Park in Irvine, California on Saturday.
Inspired by Lilith Fair, the spectacle included performances from an all-female line-up comprised of Rodrigo, Chappell Roan, Garbage, Doechii, among others, plus special guests Alanis Morissette, Sarah McLachlan, and Stevie Nicks.
Taking to Instagram on Sunday, the Vampire singer noted that she was “still in disbelief” that she pulled off the charitable festival without a hitch.
“Seeing daisy chain come to fruition yesterday was the greatest joy of my career,” she began. “I am still in a bit of disbelief that it happened and I still feel incapable of properly expressing the gratitude that I feel for every person who believed in this vision and fought so hard to make it a reality.”
Rodrigo went on to recall how she and some friends “frolicked” around Yoko Ono’s Wishing Tree installation at the entrance of the festival. Eventgoers were invited to write down something they hoped for and tie it to a branch.
“But by and large almost every tag said the same thing. Everyone hoped for the world to be more peaceful, they all hoped that the people they loved were happy, they all hoped to make a difference,” the 23-year-old reflected. “It made me so emotional and I realized that was exactly why daisy chain meant so much to me. The artwork reminded me of how we are all much more alike than we are different. And how deep down, we all just want to help each other and make the world a better place.”
And to conclude, Rodrigo hinted that the festival will be held again “next yearrrrr (sic)”.
“Thank you to everyone who came yesterday who showed me that joy is a part of the solution,” she added.
For the inaugural concert, organisers partnered with nonprofit organisations such as Baby2Baby, Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Center for Reproductive Rights, FreeFrom, Jhpiego, Johns Hopkins Center for Indigenous Health, National Domestic Workers Alliance, National Institute for Reproductive Health, National Women’s Law Center, and Planned Parenthood.
During the festival, Melinda French Gates announced that she would donate $10 million (£7.3 million) via her Pivotal Ventures, bringing the total raised to $20 million (£14.7 million).
