Philanthropist Melinda French Gates made a surprise appearance at Olivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival, announcing a $10 million donation pledge through her organization, Pivotal Ventures. The matching donation officially doubles the festival’s initial proceeds, raising the total funds generated for women-focused non-profit organizations to $20 million.
The all-women music festival in Irvine, California, was created to benefit non-profits dedicated to advancing health, safety, and reproductive rights for women and girls globally.
Surprise Pledge: Taking the stage prior to Rodrigo’s headlining set, French Gates pledged $10 million to match the net proceeds and partner contributions generated by ticket sales and artist participation.
High Praise: Rodrigo expressed her gratitude to French Gates during the performance, calling her “one of the most inspiring women” and praising her lifelong dedication to empowering women and girls.
Supported Causes: The resulting $20 million pool will be distributed directly among 10 partner organizations, including Planned Parenthood, Baby2Baby, the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, and the Center for Reproductive Rights.
Inspired by historic multi-artist initiatives like Lilith Fair, Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields festival brought together artists who waived their performance fees to support female-led causes. With the additional funding pledged by French Gates, the event marks one of the largest single-day charitable efforts organized by a music artist in recent history.
