Trending 12th August 2026 by Jade Hayden

What’s Going On With Role Model’s New Album?

via @rolemodel

Role Model is officially back with his third studio album, Chuck Timely & The Hourglass, which dropped on August 7.

The 12-track record sees the singer-songwriter reflect on love, loneliness and the passing of time, with Role Model previously explaining that the album explores an “up-and-down period of being single.”

While the album may centre on growing older and figuring out where you fit in, two tracks have already got fans talking for very different reasons, one featuring his new love, Dakota Johnson, and another which fans believe could be taking a swipe at his famous ex, Emma Chamberlain.

Here’s what’s been going on.

 

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Dakota Johnson Makes a Surprise Cameo

One of the biggest talking points from Chuck Timely & The Hourglass is undoubtedly ‘Love I You’, which features a very unexpected voice – actress Dakota Johnson.

The Materialists star and Role Model, whose real name is Tucker Pillsbury, have been romantically linked since December 2025, when they were first spotted having dinner together. Since then, the pair have been seen together on several occasions, although they have largely kept their relationship out of the public eye.

That changed slightly with the release of ‘Love I You’, which features a playful spoken-word exchange between the pair.

Speaking to Nylon, Role Model revealed that Johnson’s appearance actually happened spontaneously. He had always intended to have a female voice on the track, but when the actress visited the studio, producer and guitarist Mason Stoops suggested that she record the part. Initially, Role Model wasn’t convinced.

 

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“I was like, ‘Stop! We’re not mixing work and relationships,’” he explained. But Johnson volunteered to give it a go, stepped into the booth and, according to the singer, “knocked it out better than we could have imagined.”

The result is a seriously cute addition to the album, with the couple exchanging flirty lines before Johnson calls him “Mr. Big Night.” Role Model later admitted that, despite his initial hesitation, it turned out to be an “amazing cameo.”

For a couple who have been notoriously private about their relationship, hearing them flirt on one of Role Model’s most personal projects has understandably sent fans into a frenzy.

 

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The cameo includes the couple having a flirty conversation, with lines like, “Hey, I think you’re perfect,” he says in the song. Johnson replies, “You say that to everyone.”

Pillsbury asks, “K, well is it working?” and she responds, “Yeah, but don’t tell anyone.”

She also asks, “Oh, you think you’re big time?” and calls him “Mr. Big Night.” He ends the exchange by singing, “Aw, f—, you don’t know me.”

Is ‘Stain’ About Emma Chamberlain?

While Dakota Johnson may represent Role Model’s new chapter, another song on the album has fans looking firmly towards his past.

The album’s tenth track, ‘Stain’, has sparked speculation that it could be about his ex-girlfriend, influencer Emma Chamberlain, whom he dated from 2020 until 2023.

Their relationship has long been intertwined with Role Model’s music. His 2024 album Kansas Anymore was widely linked to their breakup, with fans picking apart songs such as ‘Frances’ and ‘Gemini’ for clues. Chamberlain herself has previously acknowledged on the ‘In Your Dreams’ podcast that she learned more about how Role Model felt about their through his music.

The speculation surrounding ‘Stain’ has only intensified thanks to the timing. In November 2025, Chamberlain appeared in a promotional video for actor Owen Thiele’s podcast, dancing along to Role Model’s ‘Sally, When the Wine Runs Out’, a song that has become particularly associated with his former relationship. The unexpected appearance left fans stunned, given that the pair had split two years earlier.

@metroentertainment Could mother be more iconic 😭 @emmachamberlain had her Sally girl moment in a promotional teaser for her apperance on @inyourdreamspod hosted by her friend Owen Thiele. #wheresmysallytonight #emmachamberlain #rolemodel #tucker #celebritynews ♬ Sally, When The Wine Runs Out – ROLE MODEL

Now, fans believe the lyrics of ‘Stain’ could be referencing an ex attempting to re-enter his life, with some taking the song’s title as a particularly pointed description of a past relationship.

Social media reactions have ranged from shocked to seriously entertained, with fans joking that being referred to as a “stain” by an ex would be the ultimate final straw.

And it seems Role Model knows the song could cause a stir. During an appearance on Zane Lowe’s show, he suggested that he doesn’t expect “Stain” to make it onto his setlist, adding that he is “very curious” to see how people react to the track.

Whether ‘Stain’ is actually about Chamberlain remains unconfirmed, but given the pair’s history, and the Easter eggs fans have spent years dissecting, the speculation is unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Words by Robyn Jane Lawlor