American singer Olivia Rodrigo hosted the inaugural edition of her Daisy Chain Fields music festival in California on Saturday, bringing together an all-female line-up of some of the industry’s biggest names to raise money for women’s rights and well-being.
Among the star-studded roster of acts was Chappel Roan, Mitski, Garbage and KATSEYE, who worked to raise the $10 million the festival donated to a number of welfare organisations.
This donation was matched by Melinda Gates, who made a surprise appearance on stage with Rodrigo and promised another $10m through her Pivotal Ventures. Gates commended the singer for “showing a new generation how much their voices matter”.
Partner organisations set to receive funding from the festival’s proceeds include Baby2Baby — which provides underprivileged children with essentials such as formula, diapers and clothes — the National Women’s Law Centre, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and the National Institute for Reproductive Health.
While the event was organised to benefit US charities, Rodrigo has also previously shown her support for children abroad — in March, she appeared on a charity album to support children impacted by wars in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.
