Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette Celebrate Olivia Rodrigo’s Daisy Chain Fields: ‘When Women and the Feminine Leads’

Olivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields music festival was a celebration of the pop singer’s musical heroes and friends.

Only two months ago, Rodrigo, hot on the heels of the release of her third No. 1 album, you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love, announced Daisy Chain Fields, a one-day festival, with an all-female lineup on Aug. 29. “i’ve had a dream of doing this festival for years and i am so ecstatic its finally coming true!!” she wrote on Instagram.

Rodrigo later shared that the festival’s premise was directly inspired by Lilith Fair, the late ‘90s all-female-fronted music festival co-founded by Canadian music legend Sarah McLachlan.

When Rodrigo started building out the festival, she told Good Morning America that she turned to McLachlan for guidance when she started building out the festival. “The first person that I called when I decided that I wanted to do this festival was Sarah McLachlan. She’s a total trailblazer and an incredible artist and friend.”

It was only fitting that McLachlan was a part of the inaugural edition of Daisy Chain Fields. She was listed as a special guest alongside Stevie Nicks and Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

As Rodrigo took the stage as the festival’s final performer, she acknowledged the importance of past female artists. “Today, I’m so aware of all the women who came before me,” said Rodrigo. “And when I think about those women, there’s one in particular who comes to mind: Sarah McLachlan.”

Then, the homegrown icon joined Rodrigo on stage, and together, they duetted on “Building a Mystery,” the namesake of McLachlan’s recent documentary, in which Rodrigo appeared, and “Angel,” in dedication to the late Dolly Parton, who passed away last week. Sitting at the piano, McLachlan called Parton: “the OG matriarch, beauty and goddess of country music.”

Later that night, McLachlan shared a series of photos on Instagram, captioned with a simple sentiment directed at Rodrigo, congratulating the singer on her accomplishments. “@daisychainfields was pure magic. XoS❤️🌼,” she wrote.

Unknowingly, the first-ever Daisy Chain Fields became a celebration of Canadian talent. While Karen O was slated as one of the festival’s special guests, the rocker had to bow out at the last minute, citing a family emergency.

In place of her absence, Rodrigo had a plan up her sleeve: “I’ve been keeping a secret from you guys, and there’s someone really special here to surprise you,” she told the crowd before introducing Alanis Morissette to the stage. The two performed Morissette’s classic hit “Ironic.”

On social media, Morissette expressed her gratitude: "this is what it looks like when women and the feminine leads 🙌🏻,” she wrote, tagging Rodrigo. “thank u so so much for inviting me to sing ‘ironic’ with you. and the gorgeous experience @daisychainfields is. 🫶🏻🫶🏻 and you are. #considerateleadership.”

In its first iteration, Daisy Chain Fields fulfilled its promise to celebrate female artists from all genres, thanks to its diverse lineup of acts including Rachel Chinouriri, Mitski, Chappell Roan, Doechii and legends like Stevie Nicks, Bikini Kill and Garbage, among others.

It was a celebratory moment for Rodrigo, who announced that the festival has raised $10 million for women-related charities such as Planned Parenthood and the Center for Reproductive Rights. That total was matched by Melinda French Gates, bumping the final donation amount to $20 million. “What Daisy Chain Fields sets in motion will last far beyond a single night,” she said.

“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 shared on social media last night (Aug. 30), signing off: “until next yearrrrr 🌼🩷🌼🩷” hinting at a second edition of the festival.

Lilith Fair ran for three consecutive summers from 1997 to 1999, with a revival tour in 2010. It helped spotlight then-rising stars like The Chicks, Jewel, Sheryl Crow, Tracy Chapman, Tegan and Sara, Missy Elliott and Nelly Furtado.