Chappell Roan, Shirley Manson and Eli say Olivia Rodrigo’s female-only Daisy Chain Fields is reaching a “crisis point”

Olivia Rodrigo’s inaugural Daisy Chain Fields festival is set to bring a roster of prominent female and women-led artists to one stage, and several of those performers are framing the event as part of a broader push for more women-focused booking in mainstream pop. In an interview preview published ahead of the festival, Chappell Roan, Shirley Manson and Eli said the music industry is at a “crisis point” in terms of who gets headlining opportunities and sustained visibility.

The festival, which Rodrigo promoted as an event centered on women, is scheduled after it was first announced with a poster that many fans said looked too polished to be real, according to the report. That lineup announcement included headliners and notable acts spanning multiple genres, from pop and indie to alternative rock.

Among the artists named for the June Daisy Chain Fields bill are Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, the Breeders, Bikini Kill and Garbage, with the festival later adding “special guests” to the advertised schedule. The report also lists additional performers that were presented as part of that later-added set, including Karen O and Sarah McLachlan.

In the preview coverage, the featured artists argued that female-first festivals are not a novelty but are needed to correct how audiences and industry gatekeepers currently distribute attention. Roan, Manson and Eli were quoted discussing the idea that the current system is failing to consistently elevate women artists into the kinds of high-profile platforms that tend to shape careers, ticket demand and mainstream culture.

The discussion also reflects how Daisy Chain Fields is positioned as a counter-model to the typical festival lineup structure, which often features a mix of performers without any gender-centered programming rule. While the report does not provide additional policy details beyond the festival’s women-centered framing, the artists emphasized the importance of creating environments where women-led acts are not treated as exceptions.

The event’s rollout comes as Rodrigo’s mainstream presence has translated into high-profile touring and media attention, making festival programming a visible test of whether industry norms can be adjusted through large-scale, audience-facing commitments. The artists’ comments in the preview suggest they view the format as both a statement and a practical booking mechanism.

For attendees and industry observers, the practical effect of a female-only concept will be determined by the final on-site schedule and the festival’s programming rules, including how it defines eligibility for performers. Daisy Chain Fields is expected to offer a large, mainstream test of demand for women-first curation, with the preview interviews underscoring that the message behind the lineup is central to the event’s appeal.