The relationship timeline of country singer Jelly Roll and wife Bunnie XO
Jelly roll may consider himself the son of a sinner, but he has found an angel in his wife Bunnie XO.
After two prison sentences — Jelly Roll (real name Jason Bradley DeFord) was arrested for aggravated robbery at age 16 and served a year before being locked up for drug trafficking at age 23 — the “Save Me” singer found The One with Bunnie (full name Bunnie DeFord), whom he married in 2016. He also found a caring stepmother for his two children, daughter Bailee and son Noah, from previous relationships.
The couple was each other’s rock as their respective careers flourished. Bunnie launched her podcast and media company ‘Dumb Blonde’ 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.
“My shooting star 💫 You dream all your life to be where you are now. You manifested, did the work and now my sweet boy from Antioch 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 right where you need to be. Let’s take them to church baby!!! 🏆🏆.”
Scroll down to see Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO’s love story from the beginning:
2015
The couple met at one of Jelly Roll’s shows in Las Vegas.
August 2016
The pair tied the knot at a Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, almost a year after they first crossed paths.
May 2020
“It takes a special kind of woman to raise a child who is not her child, and yet treat the child as if she were.” Bunnie is that special woman, outside of social media, outside of the podcast, and all the business endeavors that she does and helps me with, Bunnie is a beautiful soul,” Jelly Roll wrote via Facebook next to a photo of his wife with his daughter, who moved in with the couple in 2016. “She is kind, patient and caring. Over the years, it has been nothing short of magical to watch her relationship with Bailee grow into the beautiful mother-daughter bond it has become.”
He gushed: “I am truly blessed to have the best partner I could have asked for in my life. You are the epitome of a good mother and deserve more praise than anyone else because you didn’t have to push yourself as hard as you did. You chose to perform and man, you 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 said Taste of country evenings host Eva Paulus in November 2022 about how he met his partner. “I’m not going to pretend I hit my shot. She shot hers. We had mutual friends. She said, ‘Yes. Just join Jelly.” And I hit her on some other s–t. I was like, ‘Yo. I’m going out to record some content and video footage. She said, ‘Yes! Come on!’ I thought, ‘Cool, I live in my van, so I’m leaving now.’
Later that month, the couple 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 and pave the way for all the ‘have nots’,” she wrote via Instagram. “Saying I’m proud of you must be so redundant after all these years, so tonight, as usual, I’m in awe of you. The Pied Piper of lost souls, the melancholic maestro… tonight was your night. If we’re being honest, 2023 has been your YEAR. You filled their hearts with love and cleverly brought them to church. I can’t wait to see what’s next.”
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July 2023
Jelly roll wrote a “Bunnie appreciation post” via Instagram in honor of the fact that she launched her podcast and left 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 that I have never been as touched by a story as I have been by my wife’s story,” he said. “Seeing what this woman has overcome and her passion and determination to become 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 without any help from me. She wanted to do it on her own, she didn’t just want to be ‘Jelly Roll’s wife’. She wanted to build her own empire to empower women and share her story in the hope that it could motivate others to believe they could change their lives. is alive and happy. … It was nothing short of incredible to watch you take this thing to the moon – so so happy for you baby. Let’s keep changing the world little by little.”
August 2023
The couple renewed their vows in Las Vegas. “7 years ago my wife came across a small chapel in Las Vegas. Seven years later we walked into that same chapel and renewed our vows. My only regret the night we got married was that I never saw her in a dress. We made up for that.” Jelly Roll wrote via social media after the magical night. “I may never have given my wife the wedding she truly deserved, but I plan to give her the life she deserves for the rest of time. I love you more than mama bear. You are my anchor.”
Bunny shared photos from the intimate ceremony, calling her husband her “missing piece of the puzzle.” My safe space. The man who makes me dance in my feminine energy. My best friend, my hero and the greatest man I have ever known.” She added: “Cheers to lucky #7 and many more. & like I always told you, the 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 a shout-out to his wife and delivered an inspiring message for fans around the world.
‘Land radio, how are you doing honey? I have 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’s something poetic about a 39-year-old man winning New Artist of the Year. I don’t know where you are in your life, or what you’re going through. But I want to tell you to keep going. I want to tell you that success lies on the other side.