From Indie E-Boy to Viral Star: Role Model’s Big Year

Tucker Pillsbury’s post-breakup reinvention, Western aesthetic, and internet antics are turning him into the next big thing.

So there’s this internet bestie… his name is Tucker Pillsbury. His stage name is Role Model and some of you may know him as Yves Saint Laurent Cowboy on TikTok or Sabrina Carpenter at his concerts (stay with me here).

If there’s confusion on who I’m really talking about, let’s reel it back in. Role Model is an upcoming major artist who’s been in the game since the late 2010s. Tucker’s music career started in college when he stumbled upon his friends’ unattended equipment. A few mixtapes, EPs, and a debut album later, Tucker became an indie internet artist and even gained praise from the late Mac Miller. F*ck around and find out, amiright?

Considering where he’s at now, Role Model’s career took a 180 this past year. He released his sophomore album Kansas Anymore (2024) last summer, opened up for Gracie Abrams’ US tour last fall, and he is currently embarking on his headlining worldwide tour

Kansas Anymore follows the aftermath of his breakup with Emma Chamberlain. While processing the breakup, Tucker collaborated with Grammy-winning and nominated producers Scott Harris, Ian Fitchuk, and Ross MacDonald of The 1975. Initially starting a career with e-boy rap and rock influences, Tucker and his team realigned the direction for Kansas Anymore to soft rock and country influences with a subtle cowboy image. Western is so back, y’all.

With its acoustic, rock, and twang production, Kansas Anymore signals Tucker’s metamorphosis into an artist to be taken seriously. Role Model’s vulnerability deepens as he deals with heartbreak, mental health struggles, and homesickness. Songs like “Writing on the Walls”, “Scumbag”, and “Deeply Still in Love with You” are upbeat earworms, but in actuality deal with heartbreak and self pity. On the other hand, slower songs like “So Far Gone” (feat. Lizzy McAlpine), “Compromise”, and “Oh, Gemini” are gut punching. This decision to change the sound production transformed his album and professional image, ultimately reshaping the projection of his career.

One sign of the album’s success was when Tucker was invited to perform an acoustic show at the Grammy Museum in New York City. Typically, artists who are invited to perform at the Grammy Museum are on the verge of another major breakthrough—Sabrina Carpenter did this before her Short N’ Sweet (2024) era.

Outside of his music, one of Tucker’s strengths is his witty, unserious, and charismatic personality. There is something about his comedic execution where he naturally knows how and what to joke about something. Those with true internet brain rot have the media literacy to understand his humor.

Role Model is known for beefing on the internet with his self-created alter ego, Yves Saint Laurent Cowboy, in a self-effacing fashion. At different shows he will jokingly introduce himself at concerts as Harry Styles, Sabrina Carpenter, the Sweat Tour, The 1975, or One Direction. Tucker began campaigning for his People Magazine’s Sexiest Musician Alive nomination on TikTok in Fall 2024. In an unserious way, Tucker played on the ridiculous humor of it all, campaigning how much he deserved the award over his competition, including Harry Styles and Shaboozy. Like who does that? Completely unserious, yet ridiculously talented—we're all obsessed.

I argue Role Model’s branding and target audience naturally sets him up for success. Arguably his audience overlaps with One Direction alumni fans, 2014 high school tumblr baddies, Royal Otis rock, and Gen Z internet eboy influences. He really does have this Harry Styles / Elvis effect in his own font. Let’s keep in mind the dude is cute, has a plethora of tattoos, and is SAD and silly!!! This is a perfect recipe for adult teenage girls (chronically online women and gay men) to swarm him. This is a straight man not giving patriarchal vibes. Nature is healing.

His audiences’ demographics and interests are a unique hybrid, which Tucker’s team knows how to seize the moment on. Opening for Gracie Abrams was a genius marketing decision considering the audience overlap. Plus, association with Gracie while her career skyrockets naturally is casting a wider net. Also, in the past year, Role Model has released covers of the 1975’s “Somebody Else” and Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers’ “Nothing New (Taylor’s Version) (From the Vault)”. If you made a venn diagram of Role Model fans and Taylor Swift / the 1975 listeners, it would actually be one circle. Kudos to Role Model and his team. If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.

Tucker is set to wrap up the Kansas Anymore Tour this year (and yes im seeing him this weekend in Chicago, eeek!!) along with supporting Gracie Abrams’ second US leg tour, and has a few major festival features, including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, and The Governors Ball. He released the deluxe version of Kansas Anymore last month. The deluxe version is working its streaming magic thanks to the “Sally When the Wine Runs Out” TikTok dance and “The Great Protector” featured on sad multi fandom mashups. Proceed with caution—especially if you stumble upon the Normal People (2020) edit.

Role Model’s success isn’t just about his music but expands to his branding, authenticity, and audience connection, turning his lemons into lemonade. Considering the new heights of his career, Tucker turned his heartbreak into a post break up glow, kicking off even better things to follow.