Olivia Rodrigo's Daisy Chain Fields Festival Shows Why Artists Must Be Political
Pop star Olivia Rodrigo has organized an all-women music festival, with all of the net profits going to charities that advance and advocate for women, at a time when women's rights are under attack.
Any right that isn’t fought for is at risk of being lost in the current Trump/Republican controlled federal government. The Trump administration is actively scheming to take away rights, including voting rights/healthcare rights/civil rights. The only class that Trump cares about protecting is the billionaire class.
While the president has become so toxic that he can’t even stage a 4th of July national state fair-style event without artists and performers fleeing in droves, there has been a deafening silence among those who could be using their art to speak out and advocate for groups that the current administration is seeking to oppress.
The Daily is democracy and justice journalism. Please support our work by becoming a subscriber.
Trump had his moment of intimidating some artists into silence, but increasingly the tide is shifting. Tom Morello announced his all-star voting rights festival in the Washington, DC area.
The current generation of artists may not be familiar with the 1960s and the impact that music, film, and art had on everything from the anti-war movement to civil rights, but they have heard of the 1990s, which was the second age of music festivals.
No 1990s festival was as groundbreaking as Lilith Fair, which was the brainchild of Sarah McLachlan. The festival ran from 1997-1999 initially, and began as a response to the sexism of the music industry, where it was thought that women couldn’t sell out stadiums. The festival also raised awareness of women’s issues and millions of dollars for charity.
At Rodrigo’s festival, none of the artists are profiting from their performance. The event is about the cause, not the cash
Olivia Rodrigo is the first artist in history to have her first three albums debut at #1, and she has announced a Lilith Fair-inspired festival at a time when it is needed most.
