Role Model is the diva we didn't know we needed

At approximately 2 AM on Friday March 14, Philadelphia’s East Allen Street saw the first glimpses of dedicated Role Model fans. Covered in gingham and denim, clutching homemade signs and their cowboy hats, Fillmore venue employees noted that it had been a while since they had seen a line so long – but his fans were more than happy to set a new precedent. Newly heartbroken, Role Model (Tucker Pillsbury) seemed to have found his silver lining. His album Kansas Anymore, which was nearly complete was scrapped and then rewritten – reached millions. The album’s original premise morphed into something completely new, tackling heartbreak and homesickness. An unexpected diversion from his older work, Role Model dove into a new genre – and his fans went with him.  

Singer-songwriter Debbii Dawson kicked the night off in a head-to-toe black sequin number, complete with a cape and a red keytar. Reminiscent of ABBA, Dawson blended pop, folk, and country throughout her set, even playing a handful of unreleased tracks. Ending with “Happy World” – her second most streamed on her EP “How To Be Human” – Dawson thanked Role Model for bringing her and her band on the tour. 

The house lights dimmed as eager fans pressed against the barricade and Role Model’s first song of the night began. Also the first song on the Kansas Anymore album, it was the perfect way to start the evening. The folksy sound the album revolved around lent itself to a constant rhythm and swing, making it easy to dance to even if you didn’t know the words – even the parents in the back seemed to enjoy themselves. “We’re Maroon 5”, Pillsbury said. “Thank you so much for being here.” Referring to himself as literally anyone else but his own name has become part of the comedy that fans expect. Branding himself as someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously, despite writing songs covering serious topics, has ultimately worked in Role Model’s favor. 

It was during “a little more time”, a single released right before Valentine’s Day 2 years ago, that two fans' lives changed. The balcony cheered as a girl got on one knee and proposed during the heartfelt track, catching the attention of the entire band onstage. The newly engaged couple embraced as the most romantic song of the night soundtracked their big moment. It was perfect. 

In September of 2024, Role Model covered The 1975’s “Somebody Else” as a Spotify single. Not only has this song been used by millions on TikTok, but has also grown to be a very well-loved cover among Role Model fans. It was a treat to see the disco ball light up the venue as the cover played out. Upon the release of the deluxe album in February, another song gained traction, with the song’s bridge being a total earworm. “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out”, live has been deemed the next “One Less Lonely Girl”, giving a lucky fan the chance to be “Sally”, and sing the iconic bridge onstage. Paige was chosen to be Sally, and according to fans, she out-diva'd the diva himself. 

“Been a pretty rough few months but im starting to slay again,” he wrote in an Instagram post in 2023. Since then, it has only been an uphill trajectory for Role Model. Through what seemed like a series of unfortunate events leading up to Kansas Anymore, the New England singer-songwriter-diva-comedian was a mashup of things we didn’t know we needed. What can we say except that Role Model has made us fall, headfirst. 

Words and photos by Shauna