A few weeks ago, at a grown-up girls’ sleepover, I discovered the Lilith Fair documentary, Building a Mystery. With our husbands out of town and popcorn freshly popped, my best friend and former roommate JJ and I were about to watch a Madonna classic when she wisely suggested we watch the Lilith Fair rock doc instead. She had seen the tour live as a teenager in Dallas, while I had missed every wave of it, having come late to Sarah McLachlan’s music. I didn’t even know the whole idea was McLachlan’s, born at a time when most radio stations wouldn’t play two female artists in a row, let alone book more than one for a live show. Oh, the tears we shed! The lessons we learned!
Like me, you might have missed its debut this September. McLachlan and Jewel canceled their premiere-night performance in support of free speech after Jimmy Kimmel was suspended, and then ABC News Studios called off the film’s red carpet event the day before McLachlan, Jewel, Mýa, and director Ally Pankiw were set to appear. That didn’t stop the film from stirring conversation on Reddit, though. One user urged readers to watch it “especially if you thought Lilith Fair was for hippie, unshaven, lesbian feminists,” noting it wasn’t the “touchy-feely, hippie-dippie concert series the media made it out to be. It was real rock and roll celebrated in a way that was safe, honest, and healthy at a time when other festivals turned into nightmares, like Woodstock ’99, and it created a cultural shift in the music industry.” I came to that exact understanding the moment we pressed play.
The name struck me first. Lilith, as McLachlan explains, comes from ancient mythology—Adam’s first wife, made from the same dust, who refused to submit to a man before fleeing Eden. I’d never heard a whisper of this growing up in the Texas Bible Belt! And “fair” plays on words for equality, gathering, and beauty. It makes so much sense!
I also had no idea that Tracy Chapman, Pat Benatar, The Cardigans, and Dido were part of the original tour. (Back then, I’m embarrassed to say I was more influenced by misogynistic headlines about Paula Cole’s unshaved underarms—now very en vogue—than by any bigger message or the artist lineup itself.) Or that when faced with criticism of a “lily-white” roster, McLachlan responded by adding artists like Des’ree, Erykah Badu (who brought her baby on tour!), Queen Latifah, and Nelly Furtado. You could watch the film just for the historic footage—Sinéad O’Connor’s voice piercing the air, Christina Aguilera’s side-stage debut, or Missy Elliott, who counted Lilith Fair as one of her first live performances, dancing in her iconic inflatable suit after arriving in a sports car when her bus broke down.
The challenges the artists and their teams faced moved us to tears—even securing water was a huge ordeal when major companies didn’t want to be associated with “the girls,” despite a dollar from every ticket going to local charities, ultimately raising millions. The sheer scale of the crowds and sweeping outdoor venues took my breath away, as did what my husband (who joined us for a follow-up screening) called the “awfully chauvinistic questions” hurled at McLachlan and other artists during press conferences. When McLachlan was pressured to bend to critics’ demands (some wanted her to add men to the tour), I cheered as she reminded them this was her festival and she’d do what she wanted.
Yes, I missed the moment in real life, but now I’m even more grateful for this late education—straight from the arms of an earth angel. Join me!
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about the documentary and the iconic performances featured in Lilith Fair Building a Mystery
General Beginner Questions
Q What is Lilith Fair Building a Mystery
A Its a documentary that chronicles the historic 1997 Lilith Fair music festival founded by Sarah McLachlan It focuses on the festivals mission of celebrating women in music and features incredible live performances
Q Who are Sinéad Missy and Erykah in this context
A They are three groundbreaking artists who performed at Lilith Fair
Sinéad OConnor The iconic Irish singer known for her powerful voice and song Nothing Compares 2 U
Missy Elliott The revolutionary rapper producer and hiphop legend
Erykah Badu The Queen of NeoSoul known for her unique style and songs like Tyrone and On On
Q Why is the live concert footage called priceless
A It captures these artists at the peak of their powers in a unique allfemale festival setting The performances are raw energetic and historic showing a moment in time that cant be recreated
Q Where can I watch this documentary
A Availability changes but its often found on streaming services specializing in music or documentaries or available for digital purchase
Advanced Detailed Questions
Q Why was it so significant for artists like Missy Elliott and Erykah Badu to be at Lilith Fair
A Lilith Fair was primarily associated with folk rock and pop Featuring top hiphop and neosoul artists boldly challenged genre boundaries and underscored the festivals inclusive message about women in music in its broadest sense
Q What makes these specific performances so memorable in the documentary
A The footage goes beyond the songs It captures the artists unique stage presence Sinéads intense emotion Missys explosive and innovative choreography and Erykahs hypnotic cool confidence You see their authentic artistry unfiltered
Q Does the documentary address the criticisms of Lilith Fair
A Yes it often touches on critiques about a lack of