Grammy-winning singer Olivia Rodrigo said her women-focused music festival Daisy Chain Fields was "one hundred percent" political, saying critics who disagree with her message "don’t have to buy a ticket."
Headlined by Rodrigo, the one-day music festival in Irvine, Calif., featured an all-female lineup including performances by Chappell Roan, Sarah McLachlan and Stevie Nicks.
Net proceeds from Daisy Chain Fields were directed toward nonprofit organizations "dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls," including Planned Parenthood, the Center for Reproductive Rights, Baby2Baby and the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.
The festival raised $20 million for the women-focused charities and Rodrigo made it clear that she planned the festival with politics in mind.
"One hundred percent, yes," she told The Hollywood Reporter when asked whether Daisy Chain Fields was political.
"But I think it’s also about joy," she added. "I think the two things can exist at the same time, they kind of have to … I think young people have lost hope in our leaders and lost hope in each other. I really wanted to galvanize people and be evidence of what can happen when you come together and are part of something and contribute."
The "Drivers License" singer also stated that those who don't agree with the festival's political message don't have to buy a ticket.
"Everyone is welcome to come to Daisy Chain. But if you don’t agree with the message that we’re sending, then you don’t have to buy a ticket," she said.
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Daisy Chain Fields was inspired by Lilith Fair, an all-female traveling music festival launched in the late 1990s by McLachlan, who was frustrated over the lack of female representation in the music industry.
Rodrigo, 23, argued that women had more rights in the 1990s than they do in 2026.
"When Lilith Fair was happening 30 years ago, women in America had more rights, had more autonomy over their bodies," the singer said.
"I’ve always felt really protective of my young fans, and when I play a show and I look out into the audience and see young girls with their friends or their moms or their families, I feel such a kinship with them," she continued. "And if I could be a small part in making the world a safer and better place for them to grow up and live, that’s what I want."
Rodrigo released her song "Serena Joy" just before the festival. The single is named after a character from "Handmaid’s Tale" who promoted an oppressive regime that eventually deprived her of her own power.
Lyrics including "a tower we built, painted gold on the walls" and "now go bother your neighbors while we do what we wish" have prompted speculation that the song takes aim at President Donald Trump, though Rodrigo declined to confirm that interpretation.
"It’s basically a song about complacency," the singer said. "It’s about how an attack on one person’s human rights is an attack on all of our human rights. It’s something I’ve been thinking about a lot."
Rodrigo's decision to incorporate politics into her performances drew praise and criticism from political commentators, some of whom argued that her approach alienates fans who do not share her views.
Podcast host Ben Ferguson told Fox News Digital that the festival represented the "breathtaking hypocrisy of Hollywood," arguing that Rodrigo was treating her audience like "political minions."
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"These celebrities love preaching tolerance, diversity, and inclusion right up until someone dares to disagree with their politics. Then suddenly it’s, ‘Don’t buy a ticket.’ Apparently, everyone is welcome as long as they think exactly like Olivia Rodrigo," Ferguson said. "That’s not inclusion. That’s political arrogance wrapped in a concert tour."
But Rodrigo’s willingness to openly embrace politics has also won praise from Democrats, including strategist Kaivan Shroff, who said celebrities who don’t speak out on current events can be viewed as "inauthentic."
"This is not some niche artist trying to cultivate a fanbase by leaning into cheap politics. She is making politics part of the art, part of the live show and part of the brand, and at least she is being honest about that and owning it," Shroff told Fox News Digital.
"I actually think ‘if you don’t agree, don’t buy a ticket’ is cleaner than pretending the politics are incidental. But there is a tradeoff," he continued. "The minute you tell people the show itself carries a political message, disagreement with that message becomes part of the consumer experience too. You cannot make politics central to the product and then act surprised when the product gets judged politically."
Rodrigo has previously sparred with the Trump administration, condemning the Department of Homeland Security in 2025 after it used her song "All-American b----" in a social media post encouraging illegal immigrants to self-deport from the country. She has also criticized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for being "barbaric and cruel."
Film critic and Hollywood in Toto founder Christian Toto echoed Ferguson’s concerns, telling Fox News Digital: "In these contentious times, getting hyper political and alienating large swathes of your audience is less than ideal."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the White House for comment but did not immediately receive a response.