Country music star Jelly Roll has reportedly filed for divorce from his wife, Bunnie XO, ending a relationship many fans viewed as one of the industry’s most inspiring love stories.
The Grammy-winning singer, born Jason Bradley DeFord, is listed as the petitioner in a divorce filing submitted in May in Williamson County, Tennessee. The case names his wife, Alisa Andrea DeFord — better known as Bunnie XO, model, entrepreneur, and host of the popular Dumb Blonde podcast.
For years, the couple’s relationship appeared to embody the kind of enduring romance often celebrated in country music. Bunnie XO inspired several of Jelly Roll’s songs, including 2024’s Kill A Man and 2026’s Thorns, reflecting the deep personal connection that frequently influenced his music.
The pair first met in 2015 when Bunnie attended one of Jelly Roll’s performances in Las Vegas. At the time, both were navigating difficult chapters in their lives. Jelly Roll was still struggling to establish himself in music and had spent years dealing with legal troubles that began in his teens. Bunnie, meanwhile, was building a life after working in the adult entertainment industry.
Their bond grew quickly. Despite Bunnie being in another relationship when they first met, the two remained in contact and eventually became a couple. In 2016, Jelly Roll proposed on stage during a concert in Las Vegas, and the pair married shortly afterward.
Their marriage endured numerous challenges, including the arrival of Jelly Roll’s son from a previous relationship and a lengthy custody battle involving his daughter, Bailee. Throughout those struggles, Bunnie XO became one of his strongest supporters, helping him financially and standing beside him as he fought to secure custody of his daughter.
Jelly Roll has repeatedly credited his wife with changing the course of his life. In interviews over the years, he described her as a source of stability and support during some of his darkest moments.
Their relationship was tested significantly in 2018 when the couple briefly separated following Jelly Roll’s admitted infidelity. Bunnie later detailed the experience in her memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic, explaining how the betrayal deeply hurt her despite the unconventional boundaries they had established within their marriage.
Ultimately, she chose to forgive him, saying she believed in offering people the same opportunities for redemption that she had been given throughout her own life. Earlier this year, she publicly described that decision as one of the best she had ever made.
More recently, Bunnie stood by Jelly Roll as he underwent a dramatic health transformation, losing nearly 300 pounds. During his acceptance speech for Best Contemporary Country Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards, an emotional Jelly Roll thanked his wife, crediting her with helping save his life and inspiring him to become a better man.
The divorce filing has therefore come as a shock to many fans, given the couple’s public displays of affection and mutual admiration over the years.
Representatives for Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO have not yet publicly commented on the filing.
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