ROLE MODEL

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Tucker Pillsbury, known professionally as ROLE MODEL, was born on May 15, 1997, in Portland, Maine. He grew up in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, where his father, Rusty, works as a real estate appraiser and his mother, Susan Pillsbury, is a special education teacher. Initially, Pillsbury harbored aspirations of a career in film. However, a skiing and skating accident led to a period of depression that impacted his desire to create music.

During his childhood, Pillsbury was significantly influenced by Elvis Presley, often performing for his family while dressed as the iconic singer. His interest in film led him to move to Pittsburgh in 2016 to study film at Point Park University. During his freshman year, he sustained two wrist fractures: one from a skiing accident at Sugarloaf Mountain and another from a skateboarding accident. Confined to his dorm, friends introduced him to music equipment, inspiring him to record rap mixtapes and learn Logic Pro. This led to him dropping out of college as his grades declined.

Transition to Music and Rise to Prominence

Pillsbury began his music career in 2016 under the mononym Tucker, releasing his debut mixtape, *Since When*. He later adopted the stage name DILLIS and independently released his debut album, *Moth*, in June 2016. That same month, he performed at the Maine State Pier and later opened for Lil Debbie on her 2016 U.S. tour.

In early 2017, he rebranded as ROLE MODEL and shifted his focus from rapping to singing. He independently released his debut EP, *ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER*, in December 2017, recorded in his closet. The EP garnered an online following, catching the attention of rapper Mac Miller, who invited ROLE MODEL to Los Angeles to collaborate. In 2018, he signed with Interscope Records. His music video for "play the part" was released in November 2018, followed by the single and music video for "minimal" in May 2019. He was also featured on Julia Michaels's EP *Inner Monologue Part 2* on the track "Fucked Up, Kinda" in June 2019.

The music video for his single "hello!" premiered in October 2019. In November 2019, he released his second EP, *oh, how perfect*, through Interscope Records and Polydor Records. His first headlining tour, the 'Far from Perfect' Tour, took place in late 2019.

Debut Album and Subsequent Releases

In February 2020, ROLE MODEL released an acoustic version of his song "notice me." His third EP, *our little angel*, was released in October 2020 via Polydor and Interscope Records, accompanied by a music video for the song "blind." He continued releasing singles with "forever&more" in July 2021 and "death wish" in September 2021.

February 18, 2022, marked the release of the single "if jesus saves, she's my type" and its accompanying music video. On the same day, he announced his debut album, *Rx*, including its tracklist and release date. The album's third single, "neverletyougo," with a music video, was released in March 2022. His debut album, *Rx*, was officially released on April 8, 2022, followed by the music video for the title track, "Rx," on April 9, 2022. He subsequently embarked on the 'TOURx' 2022 world tour.

Further singles included "cross your mind" with a music video on August 25, 2022, and "a little more time" on February 17, 2023, the latter featuring a music video directed by his girlfriend, Emma Chamberlain.

Artistic Style and Influences

ROLE MODEL derived his stage name from Paul Rudd's character in the 2008 film *Role Models*. He frequently incorporates acoustic guitar into his music, which is often categorized as pop and bedroom pop. He has cited Mac Miller as a significant inspiration, particularly his influence on the city of Pittsburgh, and described their meeting as "the most pivotal moment in his life." Critics have praised his lyrics, which explore themes of sex, mental health, and relationships, as "relatable" and "confessional." Throughout his career, Pillsbury has been open about his struggles with mental health and depression.

He was signed to Benny Blanco's Mad Love Records label and is known to be close friends with fellow artist Omar Apollo. As of 2019, he resided in Hollywood. He was previously in a relationship with social media influencer and model Emma Chamberlain.