It’s been nearly a week since Olivia Rodrigo’s history-making Daisy Chain Fields festival, and we’re still reeling from that momentous day in Irvine, Ca. The inaugural all-women fest featured Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Garbage, and more, while Rodrigo’s own
headlining setincluded guest appearances from Stevie Nicks, Alanis Morissette, and Lilith Fair founder Sarah McLachlan. The festival raised $10 million in donations that will go to nonprofit organizations benefitting women and girls, a sum that was then doubled by philanthropist Melinda French Gates, making it $20 million. “Music was the first medium where the way I felt was really accepted,” Rodrigo told Rolling Stone in our Daisy Chain Fields digital cover story. “Growing up, that was my safe space. So if girls can come to Daisy Chain and feel a little sliver of that, that would be a dream.”
And as Rodrigo confirmed in that same interview, she’s hoping to do Daisy Chain again. “There’s always next year,” she told us. We’re a little ways away from knowing any details of what the next Daisy Chain might look like, including where it might happen (perhaps Irvine again?) and when (preferably not in late August again, as it was sweltering). But fans are already pondering their dream lineup. Clairo, who recently confirmed she has 11 new songs under her belt, would make perfect sense to headline. So would Missy Elliott, who performed at Lilith in 1998 and remains timelessly cool. Joan Baez, a philanthropist who has spent her life advocating for social change, also feels like a natural fit (she retired from touring in 2019, but still makes appearances). And what about the Chicks, Billie Eilish, Heart, Ani DiFranco, or Lana Del Rey? The possibilities are endless. Here are a few of our top picks for who we’d love to see perform at Daisy Chain 2027.
Phoebe Bridgers
The Pasadena singer-songwriter, who recently dropped her magnificent third solo album, Lost Weekend, is a no-brainer for Daisy Chain. She and Rodrigo have an overlap in their fanbase, and Bridgers’ richly-detailed indie rock gems would sound right at home at the festival. She’d also believe in the cause. Whether touring with her supergroup boygenius or as a solo act, Bridgers has always found ways to give back. She donated the proceeds from her recent Madison Square Garden show to the Immigration Bond Freedom Fund, a group that aims to release people from immigration detention centers, while her upcoming tour will donate $1 from every ticket to the anti-sexual violence organization RAINN. It’s an obvious move, and we’d be delighted to see it happen.
Fiona Apple
Not only did Apple play at the very first Lilith Fair in 1997 (‘I feel like I got elected into this club that’s really cool to be in,” she said in an interview that July, at a stop in Camden, New Jersey), but Rodrigo has long spoken about being inspired by her music. “Sullen Girl,” off Apple’s 1996 debut, Tidal, was one of the first songs Rodrigo learned how to play on the piano, and she has spoken about how the album got into her “songwriting DNA.” Apple’s last album was 2020’s Fetch the Bolt Cutters, and she recently gave an updateto fans on new music, and how she’s been struggling to write about the “endless barrage of horrors” in the world. She hasn’t gone on tour in more than a decade, so a return to the stage for Daisy Chain would be incredibly special.
Courtney Love
Sure, Love may have taken issue with Rodrigo’s promo for her Sour Prom concert film, which resembled the cover of Hole’s 1994 album Live Through This. (Ever the music fan, Rodrigo was honored by the beef: “To be honest, I’m just flattered that Courtney Love knows that I exist,” she said.) But that was five years ago, and although Love recently shot down Hole reunion rumors once again, she recently confirmed that she has new music on the way. “A lot of you are asking where my record is at,” she said. “It’s done. It’s kind of been done. It’s a really good record. I put a lot into it.” Will she show up to Daisy Chain and perform a scorching solo set, and duet with Rodrigo on “Doll Parts”? Here’s to hoping.
Rihanna
We know this one is a long shot. Ri’s last album, the highly influential Anti, was released a decade ago. But she’s stayed incredibly busy since then, including a killer performance at the 2023 Super Bowl halftime show, and a recent appearance at Jay-Z’s legendary Yankee Stadium concert. “Oh my god,” she told the crowd there. “I missed this shit, y’all!” We saw footage of her in the studio earlier this year, so new music is bound to be coming at some point. Plus, Rihanna recently became the first womanin the history of the music industry to surpass 200 million RIAA singles certifications, so having her headline an all-women festival would be utterly perfect.
Jewel
Jewel played at the very first Lilith Fair. “I recall opening night,” she said. “The feeling of being with so many incredible women. Huge audiences which validated to the industry that women can indeed headline and be on the same bill.” She’d be right at home on the Daisy Chain stage, especially when you consider the fact that she has already teamed up with Rodrigo before. That would be in 2024, when they joined onstage at Madison Square Garden for a duet on her 1995 classic “You Were Meant For Me.” As Rodrigo told the crowd, “She is such an incredible songwriter. When I first started writing my songs, I would listen to her album Pieces of You before I went to bed. She’s incredible and it’s such an honor that she’s here with me tonight.” Hopefully, they can reunite at Daisy Chain.
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