The Wiltern is sold out. The sign on the marquee tells me so. And not just for one night. This is an insane achievement for any artist, as The Wiltern’s famed Art Deco walls hold up to 4,000 people. But that’s a difficult number to conceptualize — especially if you, like Role Model, have been playing show after show to sold-out theaters worldwide.

But this is Los Angeles. It isn’t just an iconic city for music fans and musicians; it’s where Role Model currently calls home. When he’s not on the road, the singer lives in the City of Angels, and his complex feelings about the city are the album’s theme. So no wonder the Los Angeles crowd ate him up, filling the historic Art Deco building with barks and euphoric scream-singing on the first night of Role Model’s LA stop on his ongoing “No Place Like Tour.”  

Fresh off the release of the deluxe version of his album, Kansas Anymore (The Longest Goodbye), Role Model is in his element.

Trying to explain what happened in The Wiltern that night is impossible. One thing about Role Model — the solo project of Maine-native Tucker Pillsbury — his lore runs deep. And his fans know it all. He’s a very “If You Know, You Know” artist, with a complex persona and a curated audience.

While he began his career as an alternative rapper — mentored by Mac Miller, one of the greats — he rebranded to something different, a country pop kinda-cowboy with an LA transplant swagger. He looks like he wears a cowboy hat and too many rings to Chateau and Bungalows, but don’t be fooled, his lyrics reveal a surprisingly sensitive interior. And his fans respond to his mix of boyish bravado and endearing tenderness.

Many of his fans, it’s clear, were introduced to him through his proximity to Gen Z’s favorite internet girls. While his audience has shifted since his rebrand, it’s just as dedicated — if not more so. He famously dated internet fashion girlie (and newly minted coffee entrepreneur) Emma Chamberlain for almost three years. His crooning heartbreak ballads and loverboy anthems are rumored to be primarily about their relationship. Case in point: the song “Oh, Gemini” feels like an easter egg for fans who know that Emma is, you guessed it, a Gemini. 

No longer hanging with a rap-adjacent crowd, he is now a teken “girly-pop.” He toured with one of 2024’s it-girls, Gracie Abrams, and introduced himself to fans who resonate with his style of lyric-driven pop with catchy hooks and building bridges. He’s also gone viral more than his fair share of times, especially for the video to his song “Sally, When The Wine Runs Out,” which features him dancing in a mall like an old Apple commercial. Both the video and song did numbers on social media, where fans flocked to his vibe and vocals.

He’s also gone viral for social campaigns like his bid to be crowned People’s Sexiest Man Alive and his comedic presence. At shows, his fans are primed and ready to laugh at what feels like inside jokes. “I’m Troye Sivan,” he jokes — and the crowd erupts. And who can forget the tradition of bringing a fan onto stage to be his “Sally” — a very Justin Bieber move. At The Wiltern, he surprised fans by bringing out equally famous Dylan Minnette, lead singer of Wallows and star of 13 Reasons Why. Of course, the crowd roared.

But it’s not just gimmicks and a glorified musical comedy show. Fans were so enthusiastic about the music, they barked — yes, like dogs — between every song. “I missed the barking, LA,” he told the crowd. After touring in Europe, he said he was happy to be back with rowdy North American audiences, and LA responded by getting rowdier than I’ve ever seen at The Wiltern. 

With charm, charisma, and country boy charm, the Maine-native had the whole theater on their feet. It’s a hell of a show — make sure to bring your dancing shoes.

Want to be in the know? Catch one of Role Model’s remaining North America Tour Dates here:

Apr 05 2025 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom

Apr 06 2025 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

Apr 07 2025 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

Apr 08 2025 – Portland, OR – McMenamins Crystal Ballroom

Apr 10 2025 – Seattle, WA – Showbox SoDo

Apr 23 2025 – Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway