“Take me home…”

…ROLE MODEL mournfully croons a total of 11 times in “The Dinner,” the seventh track on his new album, Kansas Anymore. This three-word lyric is one of the most representative of the album, which focuses on the themes of heartbreak and homesickness.

Kansas Anymore is one of the most beautifully written and honest musical releases of 2024 thus far. The album is a carefully curated collection of 13 tracks that will resonate with anyone who has experienced loss, longing, or loneliness at any point in their life. With Kansas Anymore, ROLE MODEL can be sure that fans will continue to “Remember [his] name.”

A Brief Introduction to ROLE MODEL

(and his relationship with Emma Chamberlain)

ROLE MODEL, whose birth name is Tucker Pillsbury, is a 27-year-old singer-songwriter who primarily sings in the indie, pop, folk, and alternative genres. He started writing music while attending college and was discovered by the late rapper Mac Miller after releasing his first EP, ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER. Prior to releasing Kansas Anymore, ROLE MODEL's discography included several more singles and EPs, as well as one album, Rx.

ROLE MODEL is also known for his former long-term relationship with Gen-Z influencer and style icon Emma Chamberlain, who many if not all, of the songs on both Rx and Kansas Anymore are about. In 2022, it was rumored (but never officially confirmed) that Chamberlain was the woman featured in ROLE MODEL's music video for “neverletyougo.”

However, their relationship was eventually publicly confirmed on Valentine's Day in 2023, in a GQ interview. This was just months before their alleged breakup in October 2023.

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“At the end of the day, I'm just happy I can say she was mine…”

While Rx was largely about ROLE MODEL's joy from being in a serious relationship, Kansas Anymore is about the mourning and reflection that resulted from his breakup. Many of the songs make clear references to Chamberlain, one example being the title of Track 5, “Frances,” which is Chamberlain's middle name. The above lyric is from “Frances,” which is a wistful folk ballad.

The song is truly the most respectful love letter to an ex-lover one could write. While ROLE MODEL and Chamberlain's relationship may not have worked out, “Frances” expresses that ROLE MODEL is still appreciative of what he and Chamberlain had as a couple.

ROLE MODEL makes direct references to Chamberlain in several other Kansas Anymore tracks, including the lead single from the album, “Oh, Gemini” which is Chamberlain's zodiac sign. The song does an excellent job at communicating the feeling felt when the end of a relationship is imminent, and the fear that someone who was once so important to you will forget about all the times you spent together.

“Look At That Woman,” another poetic song about heartbreak, begins with the lyric “Well she had the hoops, White gold.” This is a direct callback to ROLE MODEL's 2020 song “blind,” whose first lyric is "She got the gold hoops, Prada fit, I'm in love with all of it." It is worthwhile to mention that Chamberlain can often be seen wearing gold hoop earrings.

All of the carefully selected details ROLE MODEL chose to share about his former lover in Kansas Anymore show the sincerity in his feelings following his breakup. Knowing that many fans would immediately know the album was about his relationship with Chamberlain, ROLE MODEL worked to express his continued respect and care for her, rather than be defensive.

“I click my heels three times, oh, we're not in Kansas Anymore…”

The title of ROLE MODEL's album itself, and this lyric from “The Dinner,” provides a major hint that the album will focus on homesickness. It is a direct quote from the infamous story The Wizard Of Oz when Dorothy realizes that the tornado has swept her away from her home in Kansas to a faraway land.

ROLE MODEL discussed the immense homesickness he has faced over the past few years in an in-depth Zach Sang Show interview. He talked about how he has never truly felt at home in Los Angeles, where he recently spent a significant amount of time due to both his career and relationship. ROLE MODEL is originally from Maine and has deep ties to the East Coast, which made relocating his life to the West Coast challenging.

“The Dinner" expresses how out of place ROLE MODEL feels in Los Angeles. The song describes a scene of an exclusive dinner in Los Angeles that ROLE MODEL “came to as a favor, but it's feeling more like labor.” ROLE MODEL makes his feelings about the Los Angeles lifestyle clear with the lyrics, “I'm the child of my mother, New England-born and raised, Where the common sense is common as a nose job in LA.” Overall, “The Dinner” does an excellent job at describing why ROLE MODEL feels so distant from the people of Los Angeles: he has lived a completely different lifestyle from many of them.

Both heartbreak and homesickness are the core of Track 6, “Superglue,” which is one of my current favorites from the album. With lyrics such as “Even when I'm home, I ain't home, You're sleeping in that bed on your own,” it is a song about not being fully present in a relationship due to feeling lost. The title refers to the idea of trying to fix something by adding “a little bit of superglue,” even if it is clearly broken.

“But I believe they're meant to be, something, somehow, someday”

The final track on Kansas Anymore is “Something, Somehow, Someday,” an acoustic ballad describing a man and woman who have lived entirely different lives but whom ROLE MODEL feels are meant to be together despite all odds. It is likely a reference to the contrasting lifestyles of ROLE MODEL and Chamberlain, which are highlighted consistently throughout the album.

Of all the songs on Kansas Anymore, "Something, Somehow, Someday" is the best to end the album with. It serves as a reminder that you never know where you will find love, and that what is “meant to be” will come in time when you least expect it.

I highly recommend listening to Kansas Anymore in full on your preferred streaming platform. For fans who hope to see ROLE MODEL sing tracks from the album live, he will be performing as the opener for Gracie Abrams's upcoming “The Secret of Us Tour.”