Saturday Night Live’s Studio 8H was buzzing with anticipation on October 11, 2025, as singer-songwriter Role Model made his much-anticipated debut as the musical guest. The 28-year-old Maine native, known offstage as Tucker Pillsbury, brought more than just his signature indie-pop sound to the legendary stage—he delivered a performance packed with charisma, surprise, and a dash of playful drama, thanks to a show-stopping cameo from British pop sensation Charli XCX.
The episode, hosted by comedy icon Amy Poehler, marked the second installment of SNL’s 51st season. It was already shaping up to be a star-studded night, with unexpected appearances from former cast members Tina Fey and Seth Meyers. But it was Role Model’s set that truly stole the spotlight for music fans and pop culture aficionados alike.
Role Model kicked off his SNL debut with “Sally, When the Wine Runs Out,” a track lifted from the deluxe edition of his sophomore album Kansas Anymore, released earlier this year. The song, with its infectious groove and playful lyrics, has become a staple at his live shows—not least because of the tradition he’s built around it. Each performance features a surprise guest stepping into the role of “Sally,” keeping audiences guessing and social media buzzing. Past “Sally girls” have included the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Hilary Duff, Troye Sivan, Conan Gray, Reneé Rapp, and even SNL’s own Bowen Yang, according to Rolling Stone and NME.
This time, as the crowd watched with bated breath, Role Model paused mid-song to deliver his now-trademark line: “Where’s my Sally?” The answer came in the form of Charli XCX, who stormed the stage with an electric presence. Sporting black sunglasses and a playful smirk, Charli danced through the bridge, slid her shades onto Pillsbury’s face, blew him a kiss, and strutted offstage to a chorus of wild applause. The moment was a highlight not just for the audience in Studio 8H, but also for the millions tuning in at home.
Charli XCX’s appearance was more than just a musical cameo—it was the latest chapter in a running, good-natured saga between the two artists. The pair have been jokingly feuding on social media over the “Sally girl” role, especially after Role Model invited Troye Sivan, Charli’s former Sweat Tour co-headliner and close friend, to fill the spot at a previous show. Charli’s fans have followed the faux “Sally girl” drama with glee, and the SNL performance was a tongue-in-cheek resolution to the playful rivalry. As Billboard put it, “You could say it’s actually sweet.”
The connection between the two artists runs deeper than just onstage antics. Charli XCX, who hosted SNL for the first time last year and pulled double duty as musical guest, has a reputation for spotlighting fans and celebrities during her own concerts. At her shows, she often selects a concertgoer or public figure to be featured during special segments, a tradition that echoes Role Model’s own penchant for collaborative performances.
For his second number, Role Model shifted gears, delivering a more intimate rendition of “Some Protector,” another track from Kansas Anymore. The slower, moodier song showcased his raspy vocals and emotional storytelling, offering a glimpse of the artistic growth he’s spoken about in recent interviews. “I think the one thing I wanted to prove when I first put [the album] out was my growth—my songwriting and my taste in music had matured, and I had also matured as a person,” Pillsbury told Rolling Stone in April. “It felt like a big shift in the way I would talk about things and write about them, and a big part of that was just me getting to a place on guitar where I could play well enough that I could write songs by myself on it.”
The SNL appearance comes at a pivotal moment in both artists’ careers. Role Model, fresh off headlining his No Place Like Tour and preparing for a series of European shows, is set to appear at Rolling Stone’s Musicians on Musicians live event at New York’s Beacon Theatre later this month. There, he’ll share the stage with María Zardoya of The Marías, further cementing his status as a rising star in the indie-pop world.
Charli XCX, meanwhile, remains a dominant force in pop music and culture. Her SNL cameo was not her first brush with the show—last year, she wowed audiences with performances of “360” and “Sympathy Is a Knife.” Yet her latest appearance arrives amid a swirl of speculation about her personal and professional life. Fans have been dissecting lyrics from her 2024 track “Sympathy Is a Knife” and Taylor Swift’s recent release “Actually Romantic,” with many suspecting a musical back-and-forth between the two pop heavyweights. Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl features lines that some interpret as a veiled response to Charli, though Swift herself described the song as “a song about realising that someone else has kind of had a one-sided, adversarial relationship with you that you didn’t know about.”
Adding to the intrigue, eagle-eyed fans noticed that Charli wore a “max’s kansas city” shirt during the SNL performance—a nod to the promo shots released earlier in the week, and perhaps a subtle wink to those in the know. It’s the kind of detail that keeps fans coming back for more, eager to catch every inside joke and hidden reference.
The October 11 episode of SNL was, in many ways, a celebration of collaboration, surprise, and the ever-evolving landscape of pop music. With Amy Poehler at the helm, Tina Fey and Seth Meyers dropping by, and a memorable musical set from Role Model and Charli XCX, it was a night that reminded viewers why live television still matters. For Role Model, it was a debut that lived up to the hype. For Charli XCX, it was another chance to steal the show—even when she wasn’t on the official bill.
As fans continue to replay the performances and speculate about what’s next for both artists, one thing is clear: the magic of a live, unfiltered moment—especially one shared by two of pop’s most charismatic figures—can still bring the house down.
