On Thursday night, Jelly Roll took a moment on stage to address his estranged wife Bunnie XO’s recent tell-all podcast discussing their divorce. The country music star, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, paused his performance in Saratoga Springs, New York, just hours after the podcast’s release to tackle some of its explosive revelations.
Earlier in the evening his wife Bunnie, 46, addressed the split news for the first time on the latest episode of her Dumb Blonde podcast.
Despite the split, Jelly Roll reassured his audience of thousands that there was no animosity between him and Bunnie, whom he has been married to for nearly ten years. He supported her narrative by affirming, “Every word of it is the truth,” demonstrating a surprising level of harmony amid their separation.
Bunnie’s podcast episode contained several shocking disclosures, including the unexpected revelation that she and Jelly Roll are planning to have a child together, despite the end of their romantic relationship.
Addressing the crowd during a break in his set, Jelly Roll candidly shared, “I wasn’t going to talk about this tonight, but while we’re discussing liars, the internet is a liar too.” He added, “This is the only time and the only city where I’ll speak on this, so make sure you have your camera phones ready.” His openness was met with palpable interest from his attentive fans.
‘I wasn’t gonna talk about this tonight, but while we’re talking about liars, the internet is a liar too,’ Jelly Roll said during a break in his concert. ‘It’s the only time and the only city I’m going to speak about this, so break your camera phones out now.’
Jelly Roll took the stage Thursday night and delivered a staggering response to his estranged wife Bunnie XO’s tell-all podcast on their divorce; pictured February at the Grammys
He stopped the show to bare his soul about his divorce to the audience, then shared footage of the speech to his Instagram Reels
He assured the crowd: ‘Me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends. We just got off the phone earlier today.’
Jelly Roll then addressed the part of Bunnie’s podcast in which she denied the rumors of her infidelity with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger.
‘Nobody cheated on nobody,’ he confirmed. ‘She just did a whole podcast about it. Every word of it is the truth. That will be my best friend forever. This is the only time I will ever speak about it. Bunnie, I love you, baby.’
Jelly Roll added: ‘Thank you for those 10 years. They were incredible. Thank you for the next 10 years of friendship and 20 beyond that.’
News broke Monday that Jelly Roll had filed to dissolve his marriage to Bunnie – real name Alisa DeFord – back in May.
On her podcast Thursday, Bunnie also shared whether or not Jelly Roll is ‘dating again’ amid wild rumors he was romantically linked to a 21-year-old pop star.
‘[Jelly Roll] and I have never really been good at having disagreements,’ Bunnie admitted of their relationship dynamic.
She described her and Jelly Roll as ‘the type of couple who never argued.’
Bunnie her silence on their shock divorce in the podcast episode, as she revealed the fight that finally ended their 10-year marriage for good
‘So, he would be holding things in. I would be holding things in, and that’s a recipe for disaster.’
Bunnie teared up at several points as she detailed the tension in her 10-year marriage with Jelly Roll and why it ended up being a ‘recipe for disaster.’
Things between the couple came to a head on Mother’s Day of this year, with Bunnie detailing her and Jelly Roll’s final explosive argument before he filed for divorce.
‘On Mother’s Day, we had a little bit of an argument, which I don’t think the details are necessary,’ Bunnie revealed.
‘And, in that argument, I was so fed up and so tired that I just looked at him and said, ‘Well, then file the f**king divorce papers.”
She said the argument ended with her packing up her belongings and leaving their home, which led to her and Jelly Roll ‘not speaking for weeks.’
‘In our relationship, that is the one cardinal thing that you don’t say, even though my husband has said it numerous times ’cause he’s the runner,’ Bunnie said.
‘But, when I say it, it really holds weight because I’m not the type of person who says what I don’t mean.’
However, Bunnie did admit that she only said it ‘out of anger’ and that she was ‘blindsided’ when she learned that Jelly Roll had actually filed for divorce.
Although the divorce is ‘not mutual’ in her eyes, Bunnie acknowledged that it was ‘necessary.’
The baby revelation came later in the podcast, with Bunnie calling herself and Jelly Roll ‘the most unconventional couple that you guys have ever encountered.’
She said that they are in the midst of ‘settling our divorce’ and that they’ve gotten it done in just weeks.
‘We’re still having a baby together,’ she revealed. ‘We’re going to co-parent together. J is my best friend. Like, this isn’t what you guys think this is.
‘Nobody cheated on the other person. It’s literally just we served our purpose for each other.’
The blonde bombshell, 46, addressed the split news for the first time in the new episode of her Dumb Blonde podcast , which was released Thursday; seen in February
Bunnie XO teared up at several points as she detailed the tension in her relationship with her now-estranged husband and why it ended up being a ‘recipe for disaster’
Bunnie kicked off the bombshell tell-all podcast by addressing the divorce immediately, telling fans that she feels as though she is ‘living life again.’
She admitted she is ‘relieved the news is out’ after having to keep the split a secret for nearly a month and a half. ‘It was rough,’ she told listeners.
Before explaining the demise of their marriage, Bunnie took the time to shutdown online speculation that her ex is ‘dating’ singer Jessie Murph, 21.
She called the rumors ‘disgusting’ and noted that Murph is only a few years older than Jelly Roll’s 18-year-old daughter Bailee Ann.
Bunnie also addressed wild rumors that she is dating Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger, which she vehemently denied, after she posted a TikTok featuring one of the rock band’s breakup songs.
However, Bunnie did confirm that her estranged husband is ‘dating again’ and insisted she is ‘happy for him.’
She encouraged women to ‘send him a DM’ and said that she would proudly play the role of his ex-wife.
Bunnie then reflected on her and Jelly Roll’s over decade-long romance, calling him her ‘twin flame’ and ‘soulmate.’
‘He is my best friend. I love that man more than life itself,’ Bunnie began, adding that she will ‘always ride’ for him regardless of if he’s her husband or not.
‘When I said those vows with him, I really meant them,’ said Bunnie, who has been married three times. ‘Obviously I am not f***king good at marriage.’
Bunnie began to cry as she told fans that she ‘really truly feels’ that ‘if [she] had not got with [her] husband that [she] would be dead,’ as she recalled the rough early days of their relationship when she worked as an escort and was addicted to drugs.
‘I truly feel that my husband saved me. He was the catalyst for me becoming the woman I am today. Without him, I would not be where I am.’
She also said that Jelly Roll ‘would not be where he is today’ without her as she recalled supporting him on his long, tough journey to country superstardom.
The episode contained several bombshells, including Bunnie’s reveal that she and the country singer are ‘still having a baby together’ despite no longer being a couple; seen in February
She also shared whether or not Jelly Roll is ‘dating again’ amid wild rumors he was romantically linked to a 21-year-old pop star
Bunnie then spoke about Jelly Roll’s daughter Bailee Ann, who she helped raise when the child’s biological mother gave the singer full custody in 2016.
‘[Bailee Ann] has been through so much stuff with us. I didn’t know how to be a f**king mom. I was popping pills when I got in that family,’ she admitted, adding that Jelly Roll ‘was doing the same thing’ at that time.
The couple eventually got sober and Bunnie credited Bailee Ann for helping them finally ‘grow up.’
Bunnie shared that Bailee Ann is currently ‘mad’ at the both of them over the divorce.
‘And she deserves to feel that way. She’s going to have emotions. She’s going to unfollow me on Instagram. And then she’s gonna text me the next day telling me to follow her back,’ she explained of her current dynamic with Bailee Ann.
‘That’s just how it is right now. I don’t care. That’s my baby [and] I love her.’
Bunnie said that her and Jelly Roll’s relationship began to crumble about two years ago when they made the decision to have a baby and she began IVF treatment.
‘It is not a beautiful journey. It wrecked me,’ she said, adding that IVF turned her into a ‘shell’ of who she used to be.
Due to Jelly Roll’s ‘low sperm count,’ Bunnie said that he also had to ‘get on a bunch of hormones.’ She said the hormones turned him into a ‘nightmare to be around.’
They began their respective hormone therapies just as both of their careers were taking off, which only added to the tension brewing at home.
The couple also suffered private heartbreak, with Bunnie revealing for the first time that they have ‘lost four embryos’ and endured three failed transfers.
‘Anybody that is going through that and has to deal with these miscarriages, it’s gut-wrenching.’
She teared up while voicing frustration over the fact that she and Jelly Roll are ‘two people who really want a child but can’t have it’ and that they kept facing ‘roadblocks’ in their IVF journey.
‘That takes a toll on a relationship.’
She also said that the differences in her and Jelly Roll’s personalities also played a part in their split.
‘I don’t like fame. I don’t have a good relationship with it,’ said Bunnie, adding that she’s more ‘reserved’ and ‘laid back’ than Jelly Roll.
‘My husband is the complete opposite. I always say he is a politician. He likes to shake hands and kiss babies and that’s his personality.’
These differences between them became more apparent over the last ‘year and a half’ as the couple ‘stopped communicating together.’
Bunnie described herself as the ‘glue’ that held her and Jelly Roll together as she claimed she always loved him ‘a little more than he loved [her].
Jelly Roll filed for divorce in May and cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ in the filing, which lists May 9 as the couple’s date of separation
The last time they were seen together in public was Bunnie’s book tour stop on February 24 where he made a surprise appearance and performed for the sold-out crowd; Jelly Roll is pictured on June 4 in Nashville
After years of being the ‘chaser’ in their relationship, Bunnie said that she stopped ‘chasing’ Jelly Roll as their communication disintegrated over the last year and a half.
‘I stopped everything and went into myself,’ she explained, adding that she also experienced ‘depression’ as she was forced to mourn their IVF losses alone.
Bunnie said she has now gotten her ‘sparkle back’ and that she ‘immediately got on HRT’ after learning that Jelly Roll was going to divorce her.
She also shared that she is currently in therapy but has lost 15 pounds as a result of her marriage ending.
While she would have liked to have ‘worked things out’ in therapy with her now-estranged spouse, Bunnie confirmed that they are ‘ending this marriage on the best possible terms.’
She hinted at a generous divorce settlement as she praised Jelly Roll for being a ‘king’ who is ‘taking care of her in the divorce.’
As for the ‘dream home’ the couple has been building, Bunnie said that Jelly Roll is giving it to her ‘because he knows how special it is to me.’
The massive compound has three houses on it and sits on a large piece of land.
Now that she’s single, Bunnie claims that her DMs are ‘filled’ with verified accounts belonging to men who want to date her.
‘I’m ready to have fun,’ she gushed. ‘I want women to know that you can reclaim your power, you can be sexy again.’
At the end of the podcast, Bunnie decided to address several current headlines floating around about her and Jelly Roll’s split, including his decision to remove her name from his Instagram bio.
‘Guys, I did it first,’ said Bunnie. ‘The hour [the divorce news dropped] I was like, “Bye bye.”‘
The star filed for divorce from Bunnie last month in Tennessee, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail.
He cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ in the filing, which was lodged on May 18 and lists May 9 as the couple’s date of separation.
Sources told TMZ the split was a ‘mutual decision’ and remains a ‘private family matter.’
The singer is being represented by Rose Palermo, who has handled some of the most difficult and complex divorces in Nashville and was retained by Kristin Cavallari in her divorce from Jay Cutler.
The news broke on Monday night, sending shocked fans into a frenzy as they tried to pinpoint signs of trouble in past social media posts.
That same day, a moving truck was pictured in front of the couple’s $6.5 million home near Nashville and boxes were seen leaving, though it is unclear which of the two was moving out.
They bought the five-bedroom, seven-bath mansion in late 2023.
Bunnie first fueled speculation hours before Monday’s split news broke as she posted a lip-syncing video to the 2001 Nickelback breakup song How You Remind Me.
The couple have been very candid about how his former size and weight made intimacy extremely difficult, with Jelly Roll once describing their sex life as ‘horrible’; pictured in February 2024 in Los Angeles
Bunnie recently opened up about the ups and downs of the couple’s marriage revealing it’s important to love someone even when they are ‘at their lowest’ because ‘everybody deserves a second chance’; seen in February
Then on Wednesday night, two days after the news broke, she followed up by mouthing the lyrics to Jelly Roll’s 2018 song No Limit (Freestyle).
She also hinted that she would be discussing the divorce news on her podcast as she captioned, ‘Podcast coming..’
The last time they were seen together in public was Bunnie’s book tour stop on February 24 where he made a surprise appearance and performed for the sold-out crowd.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie were married in 2016 and their relationship wasn’t always smooth sailing.
The three-time Grammy winner publicly admitted that he cheated on his wife in 2018. He called the affair ‘one of the worst moments’ of his adult life, attributing the infidelity to substance abuse and a toxic circle of friends at the time.
Bunnie recently opened up about the ups and downs of the couple’s marriage revealing it’s important to love someone even when they are ‘at their lowest’ because ‘everybody deserves a second chance.’
‘When you are with somebody for a long time, you are going to have to love them at their lowest. And I truly believe that true love is not about so much as accepting things that you shouldn’t, but I do think that everybody deserves a second chance,’ she told People earlier this year.
‘Loving somebody at their lowest is one of the most beautiful things you can do, especially if they bloom and they blossom like my husband has.’
Back in February, Jelly Roll made a moving speech at the 2026 Grammy Awards as he accepted the prize for Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken, and crediting his wife with saving his life.
‘I would have never changed my life without you. I’d have ended up dead or in jail. I’d have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus,’ he said.
Jelly Roll has also changed his life over the last few years by embarking on a weight loss journey and he recently confessed he has ‘lost [his] way’ but vowed to get back on track.
The father-of-two weighed over 500lbs in 2023 but had slimmed down to 265lbs on the day he shot a Men’s Health magazine cover last November.
He admitted he had been ‘avoiding the scale’ over the last few months after deciding to ‘enjoy the holidays’ and indulge in ‘big meals,’ as well as being less active due to an injury.
He was scared to have a new weigh in ahead of returning to his diet.
Speaking in a YouTube video, Jelly Roll said: ‘We hit the goal and it was right before the holidays, so I was like, ‘You know what man, I’ve been working hard for the last three years losing this weight, I’m going to enjoy the holidays.’
‘I had a big Thanksgiving meal, I had a big birthday meal, I ate a big Christmas meal. Kinda got off the rails and I broke my collarbone… a few days before Christmas.’
Jelly Roll and Bunnie have been very candid about how his former size and weight made intimacy extremely difficult, with Jelly Roll once describing their sex life as ‘horrible’ on The Joe Rogan Experience.
His transformation, however, made him feel like he had ‘the sex drive of a 17-year-old’ again, as he told Men’s Health.
News of the divorce comes on the heels of Bunnie’s admission that they’d found a potential surrogate in their quest to expand their family.
Jelly Roll is already dad to two children from previous relationships, daughter Bailey Ann, 18, and son Noah Buddy, nine.
‘Now that we’re finally stable financially and somewhat emotionally after all the healing we’ve done over this decade together, we’re talking about the future – including growing our family,’ Bunnie wrote in her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, which was released on February 17.
‘J and I have a surrogate, the sweetest woman ever, and soon I’ll be starting my IVF stims,’ she said, adding that she waited a long time ‘to have kids with someone I knew would be a great father.’
