Role Model gives Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers’ Nothing New a country twist, adding pedal steel and a two-step rhythm to the Red (Taylor’s Version) vault track about early 20s uncertainty and late-night reflection.
Role Model wanted a version of Nothing New—Taylor Swift’s melancholic Red (Taylor’s Version) vault track featuring Phoebe Bridgers—that he could two-step to while belting out the chorus. So, he added a touch of warmth, some pedal steel, and a slight danceable groove, creating Nothing New (Tucker’s Version). The singer debuted his twang-infused cover on Australian radio station Triple J’s Like a Version series.
In an interview with the station, Role Model—aka Tucker Harrington Pillsbury—shared that he stumbled upon the song while curating an inspiration playlist during the making of his 2024 album, Kansas Anymore. “I had no idea Taylor Swift and Phoebe Bridgers were on a song together,” he admitted. “I think Phoebe brought me into the Taylor Swift world—which is great.”
Though Nothing New was originally left off Swift’s Red album in 2012, it resurfaced in her 2021 re-recording. The song reflects on the fleeting nature of fame, with Swift and Bridgers trading verses about the fear of being replaced by the next rising star. Swift and Bridgers performed the song live for the first time in Nashville on The Eras Tour in May 2023.
Role Model connected deeply with the lyrics, noting how they resonated with his own experiences in the music industry. “People’s attention spans are getting shorter. I try not to soak in the attention I’m getting now because I know people are gonna move on. There’s gonna be a shinier little Tucker that comes along and outdoes me. I get it. I relate to Miss Taylor.”
While Role Model briefly met Bridgers at Coachella—though he doubts she remembers—he hasn’t met Swift yet. But with his Like a Version performance gaining traction and his upcoming tour with Gracie Abrams (a close Swift collaborator), he may be getting closer to her orbit.
For Swifties hearing his cover, Role Model has one request: “Just don’t hate me. If you don’t like it, I understand. If you liked it, thank you so much—I’m honored. I’m scared of both of you in the best way, so go easy on me.”