Karen O did not appear at Daisy Chain Fields, and said so the day after. The Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer had been billed as one of three special guests at Olivia Rodrigo's one-day festival, held at Great Park in Irvine, California on August 29, and posted on Instagram the following morning to explain.
"I was unable to perform at Daisy Chain due to a family emergency," she wrote, saying she was sad to miss the event but was where she was most needed, with family back east. She also thanked Rodrigo for her advocacy for women.
The two other billed guests both played. Sarah McLachlan joined Rodrigo for Building A Mystery and Angel, the second dedicated to Dolly Parton after the country singer's death that week, and Alanis Morissette came out for Ironic. Stevie Nicks closed the show with Rodrigo on Fleetwood Mac's Landslide.
The all-female bill also carried Chappell Roan, Doechii, Mitski, Bikini Kill, The Breeders, Garbage, Santigold, Rachel Chinouriri and Die Spitz. Devon Again was added late after KATSEYE withdrew when Megan Skiendiel sprained an ankle in rehearsals for the group's own tour.
Every artist waived their fee. The festival had raised $10 million for 10 non-profit groups before it opened, and Melinda French Gates matched that afterwards, taking the total to $20 million. Organisers had also set the stage times so that no two sets clashed.
Karen O has been working outside the band this year, reuniting with The Avalanches for the single Blue Shadows after her earlier appearance on Dial D For Devotion from their 2020 album We Will Always Love You. The Australian group have their own record, No Bad Memories, due on October 16.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs last toured in 2025 with the Hidden In Pieces theatre shows, which revisited rarities and favourites in new arrangements for the band's 25th anniversary. Their most recent album, Cool It Down, arrived in 2022 after a nine year gap. The band's rock touring plans and the rest of the year's indie dates are in the festival tracker.
The facts
- Karen O missed Daisy Chain Fields because of a family emergency.
- She stayed with family on the East Coast.
- She was billed as a special guest alongside Stevie Nicks and Sarah McLachlan.
- The festival was held at Great Park in Irvine, California on August 29.
- All artists waived their fees and the event raised $20 million for non-profits.
- She recently released the single Blue Shadows with The Avalanches.
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs last toured in 2025 with the Hidden In Pieces shows.
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