Country singer Jelly Roll, known off-stage as Jason Bradley DeFord, has filed for divorce from his wife, Bunnie Xo, after nearly a decade of marriage, according to court records. The filing lists irreconcilable differences and notes May 9 as the couple’s separation date.
A report from People adds new context to the couple’s early relationship, saying their bond formed during a period of instability in both of their lives.
The pair first connected as friends before their relationship turned romantic in 2016, following earlier years marked by financial strain for Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo’s profession as a sex worker.
Per an insider, Jelly Roll’s and Bunnie Xo’s relationship carried a long history of turbulence, sharing that the couple built a shared life through changing circumstances and personal challenges. They claimed that the connection was shaped by periods of uncertainty as well as mutual support.
“When they first got together, they were both in a very different place in their lives. There was a lot of chaos, ups and downs, and they built a life together through all of that.”
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo, who tied the knot in 2016, often spoke publicly about their relationship over the years. Among the phases of their marriage that they had been open about was the country star’s weight loss journey, which began in late 2023.
This journey, however, “changed” Jelly Roll, per the source to People.
“He’s very focused on his future, his health and being around for a long time. There wasn’t a moment where everything fell apart. They still love each other but were no longer on the same page about certain things, including what they wanted their future to look like.”
The insider went on:
“People saw the public side of things, but there was a lot more going on privately.”
Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll opened up about their IVF journey
Recalling, the pair had expressed their desire to expand their family. In a February interview while promoting her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, Bunnie Xo shared insight into her and Jelly Roll’s efforts to have a child.
“I don’t know if it’s that I did or if I didn’t choose it, but I think before we come here, we choose our life path, and we yearn for the pain that we go through. And I genuinely think that having those abortions when I was younger [and] the journey that I’m going on now with IVF [is] God’s putting me through this again, so that I can be a voice for those women who are going through this process.”
The singer echoed this in a separate conversation, showing a glimpse into his excitement to become a father.
“My wife and I are talking about having a baby. It really made me realize, at almost 40, I was like, that, means I got to live to at least 60. I got to see this kid into college.”
Despite the divorce filing, neither of the two has released a statement to address their divorce. Court details indicate the separation occurred earlier in May, with the Son of a Sinner hitmaker quietly filing the petition before it made headlines on June 15.
Edited by Gladys Altamarino