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Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo were brutally honest about the ups and downs of their relationship through their near decade-long marriage.
Following two stints in jail — Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) was arrested for aggravated robbery at 16 and served one year before being incarcerated for drug dealing at the age of 23 — the “Save Me” singer found The One with Bunnie (full name Bunnie DeFord), whom he wed in 2016.
He also found a caring stepmother for his two children, daughter Bailee and son Noah, from prior relationships.
The couple have been each other’s rocks as their respective careers have flourished. Bunnie launched her “Dumb Blonde” podcast and media company in 2020. Jelly Roll, meanwhile, became a rising star in country music in 2020 after starting his career as a hip-hop artist in 2003.
Whether high school sweethearts or second chances at love, these country couples are in it for the long haul. Faith Hill and Tim McGraw have a love story for the ages. The twosome tied the knot in 1996 and went on to welcome daughters Gracie, Maggie and Audrey in 1997, 1998 and 2001, respectively. Despite […]
“My shooting star 💫 You’ve dreamt your whole life of being where you are today. You manifested, did the work & now my sweet Antioch boy is living his dream,” Bunnie gushed via Instagram in November 2023 ahead of Jelly Roll’s 2023 CMA Awards performance. “I LOVE YOU. I admire you. I’m so proud of you! You are exactly where you’re supposed to be. Let’s take ‘em to church tonite baby!!! 🏆🏆.”
In June 2026, Jelly Roll shocked his fans by filing for divorce from Bunnie.
Scroll down to see Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO’s love story from the beginning:
2015
The pair met at one of Jelly Roll’s Las Vegas shows.
August 2016
The twosome tied the knot at a Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas nearly one year after first crossing paths.
May 2020
“It takes a special kind of woman to raise a kid that isn’t her child and still treat the child as if she was. Bunnie is that special woman, outside of the social media, outside of the podcast, and all the business endeavors she does and helps me with, Bunnie is a beautiful soul,” Jelly Roll wrote via Facebook alongside a photo of his wife with his daughter, who began living with the couple in 2016. “She is kind, patient and caring. Over the years watching her relationship with Bailee blossom into this beautiful mother daughter bond that it has become has been nothing short of magical.”
He gushed: “I have truly been blessed with the best partner I could’ve asked for in life. You are the epitome of a good mom and deserve more credit than anyone because you didn’t have to step up to the plate the way you did. You chose to step up and man you have knocked it out of the park. Thank you, Mama Bear — we love you.”
November 2022
“We hit it off. She said she fell in love with the saddest eyes in the room,” the “Need a Favor” singer told Taste of Country Nights host Evan Paul in November 2022 of how he met his partner. “I’m not going to act like I shot my shot. She kind of shot hers. We had mutual friends. She said, ‘Yo. Just plug me in with Jelly.’ And I hit her on some other s–t. I was like, ‘Yo. I’m going to be coming out to shoot some content and video stuff. She was like, ‘Yeah! C’mon!’ I was like, ‘Cool, well I’m living in my van, so I’ll leave now.”
Later that month, the pair made their red carpet debut at the 2022 CMA Awards in Nashville.
April 2023
Bunnie sang her husband’s praises after he won three CMT Music Awards for Male Video for the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year and CMT Digital-First Performance of the Year for his hit “Son of a Sinner.”
“You were sent here to destroy stereotypes & blaze the trail for all the have nots,” she wrote via Instagram. “Saying I’m proud of you has to be so redundant after all these years, so tonight, per usual- I stand in awe of you. The pied piper of lost souls, the melancholy maestro … tonight was your night. Hell, if we’re being honest, 2023 has been your YEAR. You filled their hearts with love & brought ‘em to church handsome. Can’t wait to see what’s next.”
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July 2023
Jelly Roll penned a “Bunnie appreciation post” via Instagram in honor of her launching her podcast and leaving her past as a high-end escort behind her for good. “A lot is often said or made about my story, but the truth is, I’ve never been moved more by a story than the story of my wife,” he shared. “To watch what this woman has overcame and her passion and determination to be something better has inspired me from the moment I met her. She saved me in one of the darkest times of my life. She has been nothing but supportive.”
The former rapper recalled: “I watched her build her own platform, her own podcast and her own team with ZERO help from me. She wanted to do it on her own, she didn’t want to be just ‘Jelly Roll’s wife’ she wanted to build her own empire to empower women and share her story in hopes that it could motivate others to believe that they could change their lives and be happy. … Watching you take this thing to the moon has been nothing short of incredible to watch — so so so so happy for you baby. Let’s keep changing the world a little at a time.”
August 2023
The couple renewed their vows in Las Vegas. “7 years ago my wife and stumbled into a little chapel in Las Vegas. 7 years later we walked into that same little chapel and renewed our vows … my only regret on the night we got married was I never got to see her in a dress. We made that right,” Jelly Roll wrote via social media after the magical night. “I may have never gave my wife the wedding she truly deserved but I plan on giving her the life she deserves for the rest of it. I love you more anything mama bear. You are my anchor.”
Bunnie shared photos from the intimate ceremony, calling her spouse her “missing puzzle piece. My safe space. The man that makes me dance in my feminine energy. My best friend, my hero & the greatest man I’ve ever known.” She added: “Cheers, to lucky #7 & so many more. & like I’ve always told you — he house always wins baby 🎰 🎲.”
November 2023
Jelly Roll received a standing ovation after winning the CMA Award for New Artist of the Year. During his speech, he gave his spouse a shout-out and reeled off an inspirational message for fans everywhere.
“Country radio, what’s up baby? I got a thousand people to thank, but most importantly, My Lord and my wife. I love you so much, you changed my life, baby,” he gushed. “There is something poetic about a 39-year-old man winning New Artist of the Year. I don’t know where you’re at in your life, or what you’re going through. But I want to tell you to keep going. I want to tell you success is on the other side.”
February 2024
A source revealed to Us Weekly that the couple had managed to keep each other grounded as Jelly Roll’s career continues to blossom.
“He’s having a blast, and so proud to show off his wife. Now they feel like they’ve overcome so much together,” the insider shared, adding that they “have an ‘us against the world’ mentality.”
Jelly Roll Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images for CMT
April 2024
Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO attended the 2024 CMT Awards where he took home all three awards he was nominated for including Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year and CMT Performance of the Year.
While accepting his third award, Jelly Roll gave a shout out to his wife.
“My beautiful wife, Ms. Bunnie DeFord, I am blessed to have you as a partner,” he shared. “You find beauty in broken things and I love you.”
October 2024
In his 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me feature for Us, Jelly Roll said that he and Bunnie like to keep things low-key when they have time to themselves. “We’re on the road constantly, so my ideal date night with Bunnie XO is getting to spend a day at home,” he explained.
May 2025
Ahead of the ACM Awards, the couple attended a Lainey Wilson concert, where Jelly Roll pulled his wife on stage to dance to Wilson’s hit “4x4xU.” In a TikTok caption, Bunnie wrote, “Giving into the moment, bc I’m learning memories are priceless. … He always [knows] how to make me have the biggest smile.”
That same week, they attended the 60th annual ACM Awards, where they cuddled up on the red carpet before Jelly Roll performed with Shaboozey.
August 2025
Bunnie playfully supported Jelly Roll via Instagram after he lost nearly 200 pounds. “When you have to check and make sure he’s still your squish after all the weight loss,” she wrote alongside a video body-slamming her husband. Bunnie added the caption, “Bestie #jellyandbunnie.”
That same month, Bunnie revealed why fans hadn’t seen her and Jelly Roll together for a few months. “I’m like, ‘Do you guys not know that for the past six months [that] I’ve been trying to make a baby?’” Bunnie explained on the August 8 episode of her “Dumb Blonde” podcast.
“My husband has to work to f***ing bring home the bacon,” she continued. “Luckily, I get the luxury of working from home. He doesn’t. He has to make appearances, but I literally have been on IVF meds for f***ing six months and going through heartbreak and f***ing so much s***.”
Bunnie concluded, “That’s why you haven’t seen me [because] mama’s about to pop out. I gotta remind them. I might even do a sexy photoshoot and piss off all the f***ing [haters].”
February 2026
The couple were all smiles at the 2026 Grammy Awards, with Bunnie rocking a red lace gown while Jelly Roll donned an all-black look.
June 2026
Us Weekly confirmed that Jelly Roll filed for divorce from Bunnie Xo after nearly a decade of marriage. Hours before the news broke, Bunnie posed in lingerie on her Instagram Story and posted the caption, “She’s getting her sparkle back.”
