American country music sensation Jelly Roll, whose birth name is Jason Bradley DeFord, has reportedly initiated divorce proceedings from his wife, Bunnie Xo, after a marriage spanning almost a decade. Court records viewed by US media suggest the filing occurred on 18th May in Williamson County, Tennessee, indicating a significant shift in the couple's relationship.
This development is likely to surprise many fans, particularly those who followed the couple's public displays of affection and mutual support. Just a few months ago, in February, Jelly Roll, 41, and Bunnie Xo, 46, were prominently featured at the Grammy Awards. During the ceremony, Jelly Roll, while accepting the award for Best Contemporary Country Album, delivered a heartfelt tribute to his wife, crediting her with transforming his life and pulling him away from a path that he suggested could have led to dire consequences.
The couple's relationship began over a decade ago when they met in 2015 at the Country Saloon in Las Vegas, where Jelly Roll was performing. After a year of dating, he proposed to Bunnie on stage in Las Vegas, and they subsequently married in a discreet courthouse ceremony later that same evening in 2016. Their commitment was further reaffirmed last year when they renewed their vows.
Both Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo, real name Alisa DeFord, have been remarkably candid about the complexities and challenges within their marriage. In October last year, Jelly Roll openly discussed an affair that took place early in their union, describing it as one of the most difficult periods of his adult life. He emphasised the extensive effort both put in to reconcile and emerge stronger. Bunnie Xo also addressed this turbulent time in her forthcoming 2026 memoir, 'Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic', where she detailed the affair as lasting ten months in 2018, and spoke about briefly leaving the relationship before deciding to give him a second chance due to her profound love for him.
More recently, Bunnie Xo appeared to acknowledge the separation on social media. She posted a video on Instagram lip-syncing to Nickelback's track 'How You Remind Me', specifically highlighting lyrics that speak to enduring love amidst difficulty. She also shared a photo of herself captioned with 'She’s getting her sparkle back', set to Metric’s 'Help I’m Alive', which many followers interpreted as a direct reference to the ongoing situation.
Jelly Roll has two children from previous relationships, an 18-year-old daughter named Bailee and a nine-year-old son named Noah. The impact of this personal news on his professional life, particularly as he continues to release new music and tour, remains to be seen.