Tucker Pillsbury, professionally known as ROLE MODEL, is an alternative singer-songwriter from Maine whose lyrics openly stem from a place of loneliness and heartache.
The 22-year-old’s music may be unknown to many, considering he has a smaller fanbase of roughly 48,500 Instagram followers, 10,500 YouTube subscribers and about 713,000 monthly listeners on Spotify.
Though ROLE MODEL doesn’t have the massive followings of Shawn Mendes or Justin Bieber, he’s a force to be reckoned with. Pillsbury played alongside charting artists such as Ariana Grande, Childish Gambino and Twenty One Pilots at Lollapalooza this year, while also touring 44 cities with alt-pop band LANY. Aside from releasing his own music, ROLE MODEL also nabbed a featured artist spot on Julia Michaels’ latest EP.
Pillsbury stands out because his music isn’t simply typical pop radio hits. It’s spontaneous, disturbed and nonetheless authentic. With under 15 songs released under the pseudonym ROLE MODEL, every lyric of every song is intentional and calculated.
In almost every one of his songs, the beginning starts off with diary-style lyrics about breaking down, being heartbroken or high. By deliberately making the introduction of the songs bleak and unapologetic, ROLE MODEL’s battle with depression is put on blast by being loud and prominent. The struggling artist has opened up about his battle with depression after a skiing accident and a period where he ultimately was making bad decisions.
Using his talent, nostalgic voice and platform, ROLE MODEL is taking steps to end the stigma around mental health and hypermasculinity. For instance, the song “minimal” opens up with the lyrics “Boys don’t cry / They’re happy all the time,” blatantly putting the stigma around toxic masculinity and mental health on blast.
While most of ROLE MODEL’s songs have gloomy and pessimistic lyrics, the instrumentals behind them are often upbeat.
“My goal is to make people dance while crying. I think that contrast is so tight,” ROLE MODEL said in an interview with Complex.
ROLE MODEL’s top songs are, arguably, “minimal,” “play the part” and “i don’t rly like u.”
“Minimal” is a soothing, listen in the shower or on a night drive, kind of tune. The song is about keeping things on a surface level to avoid catching feelings and caring about someone or something.
Even more relatable, “play the part” is essentially a song about fakeness and being there for somebody only when it’s convenient for them. The chorus of the song reads, “Are you nice because you're nice / Or are you nice because you need something / Tell me if you need someone who can play the part.”
Lastly, “i don’t rly like u” is what Pillsbury defines as “a modern-day love song,” per his interview with Complex. ROLE MODEL sings about a relationship deriving from boredom. He sings “You don't really like me / I don't really like you / We're just really lonely / We don't got nothing to do.” It is clear through this song the hopeless singer does not have much confidence in the idea of soulmates and true love, which other mainstream singers sing about so commonly.
With a tour on the way, and the recent release of the single “hello!,” fans are expecting an album in the forthcoming year. While ROLE MODEL won’t be stopping in Athens, he’s making his way to Cleveland on Nov. 20 for the 15-stop tour.
Not conforming to the mainstream constraints of male musicians, ROLE MODEL is sure to become bigger and bigger with the more music he releases. So whether you’re a fan of ROLE MODEL, or this is the first time you’re hearing about him, now’s the time to take a road trip to see him live before he’s selling out arenas left and right.
