Olivia Rodrigo is having quite the 2026.
Already this year, she became the first artist to have the first single from her first three albums debut at No. 1 on the Hot 100 with “Drop Dead.” The album featuring that track, You Seem Pretty Sad for a Girl So in Love, also topped the charts and remains in the top five almost three months later. And just this weekend, Rodrigo launched a philanthropic music festival, Daisy Chain Fields, in support of women and girls that raised $20 million with its inaugural edition.
It would only make sense that the Recording Academy would come calling, right?
Daisy Chain has already achieved its goal, raising eight figures to support women and reproductive rights, but as a major cultural moment of the year, it’s likely to have some knock-on effects for Rodrigo, especially when it comes to the Grammys.
Here are just a few of the ways that the success of Daisy Chain Fields could amplify Rodrigo’s odds heading into Grammy nominations.
Respect for Those Who Came Before
Rodrigo signaled reverence for her predecessors from the jump, calling out Lilith Fair as a prototype for Daisy Chain and crediting her headlining set at the fest as “Olivia Rodrigo & Special Guests” — teasing the eventual on-stage cameos from Sarah McLachlan, Alanis Morissette, and Stevie Nicks.
But beyond that, Rodrigo programmed the festival with legacy acts like Bikini Kill, The Breeders, and Garbage alongside more contemporary ones like Doechii and Chappell Roan. That’s the kind of respect for the long tail of musical history that resonates with the Recording Academy, especially among its older members.
Securing the Future
There’s something to be said about how radical an all-female music festival can still feel nearly three decades after the first Lilith Fair. And on the grounds in Irvine’s Great Park, it couldn’t have been more obvious that the concept was more than a gimmick. Despite the heat wave currently rocking Southern California, the spirit was overwhelmingly positive. With art installations from female artists and rows of food stalls from women- and minority-owned businesses, Daisy Chain gave fans an opportunity to experience their music in a venue that reflected their values and the world they wish to see more, with plans to do it all again next year.
Music That Changes the World
Before the festival began, Rodrigo announced that Daisy Chain had been able to raise $10 million for nonprofits to support women and girls. That number was then doubled when — before her own set — Rodrigo told the crowd of 45,000 that the Melinda French Gates was matching the amount.
A thought that recurred while walking the festival grounds was “Why doesn’t everyone do this?” Rodrigo used the vast amount of popularity she’s amassed through her musical talent to build something other than more wealth for herself. Shouldn’t that be the point of worldwide pop stardom?
All too often, mostly empty platitudes about music’s ability to change the world get inserted into the copy that presenters read at the Grammys. But Rodrigo actually did that with Daisy Chain and turned that power into a dollar amount going straight to the organizations that need it.
And Yet, It’s Still About the Music
Yes, Daisy Chain has certainly raised Rodrigo’s profile shortly after the eligibility window closed and as we’re a few weeks out from voting. But all of this talk around whether the festival will boost her Grammys odds would be a non-starter if You Seem Pretty Sad wasn’t already one of the best albums of the year. And with a set that heavily pulled from her most recent album, Rodrigo reminded the audience why she was able to draw so many people to her cause in the first place.
