Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery revisits Sarah McLachlan-curated festival that changed 1990s music culture

Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery, now streaming on Hulu, revisits the Sarah McLachlan–curated music festival that ran for three summers in the late 1990s. The documentary frames the event as a turning point in mainstream music culture by centering women artists and creating a space for community and collaboration that contrasted with the era’s prevailing industry dynamics.

The film traces McLachlan’s experience after she signed with a U.S. label for the 1993 album Fumbling Toward Ecstasy. It describes how she felt sidelined by attention to appearance rather than artistry and how she sought a sense of belonging. Early in the festival plan, promoters and radio programmers routinely refused to book two women on a single bill. When McLachlan and Paula Cole tested the idea by touring together, audiences responded, signaling demand for a platform that spotlighted women.

Over its three-year run, Lilith Fair faced industry skepticism but carried on with limited guarantees and no initial sponsorships. The film highlights how the festival became an incubator for change, hiring women as sound engineers and lighting technicians, providing health care for staff, and pursuing sponsors who supported local charitable work. The documentary gathers conversations with McLachlan, Cole, Sheryl Crow, Liz Phair, Erykah Badu, Indigo Girls, Jewel, Emmylou Harris, and other performers who describe the atmosphere as a space where feminine energy could shape the show and the lineup.

The conversations also illuminate the era’s cultural climate, including persistent questions about women’s value in music and media coverage of their appearance. Liz Phair describes how she was devalued in the industry, with attention focused on looks rather than what she could contribute musically. The film presents this as part of a broader pattern that Lilith aimed to disrupt.

Missy Elliott’s 1998 set is highlighted as a milestone, and the documentary shows Lilith’s cross-genre energy at its peak in a concert culture that included large, communal singalong moments. By contrast, Woodstock ’99 is presented as a stark counterpoint, a reminder of how male-dominated rock festivals could unravel into chaos. The film uses those contrasts to explore why Lilith mattered beyond a single tour and how it helped redefine what a big festival could be.

Leaders in music criticism, including Ann Powers, offer context about how the period treated adult women and how Lilith’s presence helped shift those conversations. The documentary frames the festival as a social move that broadened the possibilities for women in front of and behind the microphone, even as some attitudes continued to linger in the industry.

Beyond nostalgia, the documentary invites viewers to imagine whether a contemporary revival could succeed, considering modern touring realities, labor standards, cross-genre collaboration, and community partnerships. It raises questions about how to replicate the sense of community and cross-fertilization that Lilith fostered while adapting to today’s media landscape and audience expectations.

Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery is available to stream on Hulu. For new subscribers, Hulu offers a 30-day trial on its basic plan with ads; after the trial, service costs $9.99 per month. Upgrading to ad-free streaming options or bundling with other services is also possible.