Country star files for divorce from wife of 10 years in surprise split
A country star is divorcing his wife of 10 years in a surprise split.
Jelly Roll filed for divorce from Bunnie XO on May 18, multiple reports revealed Monday night. The "Son of a Sinner" singer's real name is Jason DeFord and his podcasting spouse's real name is Alisa DeFord.
The breakup comes as a shock to longtime fans of Jelly Roll. USA Today notes the couple married in 2016 and had frequently spoken in public about their relationship, including family planning, infidelity, and the singer's health journey. When he won the Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Country Album in February, he dedicated the prize to Bunnie in an emotional moment.
"I want to thank my beautiful wife," he said at the Grammys. "I would have never changed my life without you. I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn't for you and Jesus. I thank you for that."
Jelly Roll, 41, famously admitted last year that he cheated on Bunnie, 46.
"One of the worst moments of my adulthood was when I had an affair on my wife," he told the " Human School " podcast in October.
Bunnie said in her recent memoir, "Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic," that Jelly Roll cheated on her over a 10-month span in 2018. She told People they briefly broke up at the time, but she gave him a second chance and they worked on their relationship, eventually renewing their marriage in 2023.
"We aren't each other's possessions and consider our relationship to be free, not open," she wrote in her book.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - FEBRUARY 22: (L-R) Bunnie XO and Jelly Roll attend Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic Tour in Nashville, Tennessee at James K. Polk Theater on February 22, 2026. (Photo by John Shearer/Getty Images)Getty Images
Jelly Roll has two children, 18-year-old Bailee Ann and 9-year-old Noah Buddy, from previous relationships. Bunnie XO said they had been attempting to have kids via IVF but said in her book, published in February, that they had found a surrogate.
"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," she wrote. "We're going to raise these babies in love and give them everything we were never given."
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Jelly Roll is currently on tour. He's scheduled to perform at the Broadview Stage at SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center) in Saratoga Springs on Thursday, and at the Empower Federal Credit Union Amphitheater at Lakeview in Syracuse on Tuesday, June 23.
Both Upstate New York concerts are nearly sold out, but fans can find tickets on Vivid Seats and StubHub .
Jelly Roll is an alternative country/hip-hop artist best known for songs like "Son of a Sinner," "Need a Favor," "Liar," and "I Am Not Okay," plus collaborations with Alex Warren ("Bloodline"), Eminem ("Somebody Save Me"), Post Malone ("Losers"), Shaboozey ("Amen"), MGK ("Lonely Road") and Jessie Murph ("Wild Ones"). He also connected with fans on his stories of drug addiction and incarceration, and recently lost nearly 300 pounds after changing his lifestyle to embrace running, weightlifting and boxing.
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