Tucker Pillsbury, also known as Role Model, has absolutely taken the nation by storm over the past year. You may know Tucker for his indie pop hits or his past relationship with internet and style icon Emma Chamberlain. In 2024, his career skyrocketed after the release of his second studio album, “Kansas Anymore.” After accompanying Gracie Abrams as the opener on her “Secret of Us” North American Tour, his popularity has only increased. Fans especially love Tucker for his awkward sense of humor, like his bit where he introduces himself as a different famous artist at every concert. This past weekend, Tucker’s fanbase was “well fed,” as he starred as the third musical guest on Saturday Night Live Season 51 alongside host Amy Poehler.
In addition to his bits of humor sprinkled throughout his live shows, Tucker’s fans look forward to his “Sally reveal,” a tradition that occurs every time he plays one of his most popular songs, “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out.” “Sally” is about an energetic, fun-loving girl Tucker meets at a bar that he falls in love with for the night. During every “Sally” performance, he pulls someone on stage to be his “Sally” to dance alongside him. In past performances, “Sally” has featured stars such as Natalie Portman, Olivia Rodrigo, Conan Gray, Renee Rapp, Lizzy McAlpine, among many others. Role Model brought his classic bit to SNL this weekend, and during “Sally,” he shocked the pop culture world when Charli XCX was featured next to him.
Charli XCX’s appearance alongside Role Model on Saturday night is extremely culturally significant if you identify as being “chronically online.” XCX and Role Model have gone back and forth on social media in the past weeks, making joking jabs at each other on Instagram after Tucker brought XCX’s close friend, Troye Sivan, on stage for “Sally.” As XCX would say, the two “worked it out on the remix” this weekend, dancing together for the SNL audience. Aside from their fake beef, XCX’s outfit made quite the statement, as she sported a “Max’s Kansas City” baby tee. Some argue that the Kansas City tee was a reference to Tucker’s album, “Kansas Anymore.” However, others believe it was meant to throw shade at Taylor Swift. In Swift’s recent album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” she shaded XCX on her track, “Actually Romantic.” Swift’s fiancé, NFL tight end Travis Kelce, plays for the Kansas City Chiefs, leading the Internet to believe that the tee was a subtle shade.
So, which side are you on? Was XCX’s outfit in support of her fake foe, or a reference to her current drama? Regardless of the industry drama, the crossover between Role Model and Charli XCX this weekend on Saturday Night Live was a fun, shocking surprise that only added to the episode, feeding Generation Z until the next episode of SNL airs this Saturday.