Singer-songwriter Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, has officially acknowledged his relationship with actress Dakota Johnson on his third album, "Chuck Timely & The Hourglass." Johnson is featured on the song "Love I You," a collaboration that Pillsbury initially hesitated to include.
"I was always like, 'Well, I don't … I think keeping those things separate is probably good,'" Pillsbury told Rolling Stone, referring to his public relationship with Johnson. "And then one day he convinced her and I was just like, 'Yeah, let's try it,' and it was amazing. Like, her voice was perfect on it."
The song includes a flirty exchange between Pillsbury and Johnson, with Johnson replying "You say that to everyone" when Pillsbury tells her, "Hey, I think you're perfect."
Pillsbury and Johnson were first seen together in December, following Johnson's reported split from Chris Martin. They were later seen together at a Paul McCartney concert in March and a concert in April, with Johnson's mother, Melanie Griffith, expressing her approval of Pillsbury.
Fans have also pointed to another song on the album, "Stain," as a potential reference to Pillsbury's past relationship with influencer Emma Chamberlain. Pillsbury and Chamberlain dated for over three years, and his previous album, "Kansas Anymore," was largely inspired by their breakup.
The lyrics of "Stain" appear to coincide with Chamberlain's recent reported split from musician Peter McPoland. "I’m sorry that it didn’t work out with your man / But there’s nothing fun in feeling like a backup plan / Just write a few songs, put a pen in your hand / That worked for me, babe, hey," Pillsbury sings. He continues, "It’s a stain that I’ll never get out / It’s a stain, the kind they warn you about / It’s so vain to be calling the house / It’s a stain that I can’t get out, oh, no."
Social media users have noted the timing of the song's release and its lyrics, with some expressing that such a reference would be a definitive end to any lingering connection. Pillsbury himself has previously stated that his second album dealt with his breakup from Chamberlain, and that he needed to focus on himself before entering another relationship.
Pillsbury had previously soft-launched his relationship with Johnson in the music video for his song "Neverletyougo," which featured Chamberlain's back. The couple made their public relationship official at the Vanity Fair Oscars party in March 2022 before appearing on a GQ cover together the following February. Reports of their split emerged in October 2023, with Pillsbury citing distance and personal reflection as factors.