Jelly Roll Files for Divorce from Bunnie Xo After Nearly 10 Years of Marriage

After nearly a decade together, the marriage between Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo has officially come to an end. According to court records filed in Williamson County, Tennessee, the country music star submitted divorce papers on May 18. The news quickly drew widespread attention, as just a few months earlier the couple had appeared publicly together at the 2026 Grammy Awards, presenting the same united front they had maintained throughout much of their relationship.

For many fans, Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo had long been regarded as one of the most prominent couples in the American entertainment industry. They frequently shared details of their personal lives across various media platforms and openly discussed the challenges they had overcome together. As a result, news of their split came as a surprise to many, especially given that they had recently spoken about future plans involving family and children.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards in February, Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo walked the red carpet together, exchanging affectionate gestures and openly displaying their love in front of the cameras. During the ceremony, Jelly Roll won the award for Best Contemporary Country Album. As he accepted the honor, the singer delivered an emotional tribute to the woman who had stood by his side for years.

“I want to thank my beautiful wife,” he said. “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.”

At the time, the speech was considered one of the most memorable moments of the evening. It also highlighted the significant role Bunnie Xo played in Jelly Roll’s personal transformation. Before becoming one of the most recognized figures in modern country music, the artist endured a turbulent youth marked by legal troubles, addiction, and years of personal struggles.

Born Jason DeFord, Jelly Roll grew up in Tennessee and experienced a difficult upbringing. His teenage years were marked by repeated encounters with the criminal justice system and multiple arrests. Those experiences later became a major source of inspiration for his music. Unlike the polished image often associated with mainstream entertainers, Jelly Roll built his career by telling deeply personal stories about regret, redemption, faith, and the desire to rebuild one’s life.

Before finding mainstream success in country music, he was better known within the independent hip-hop scene. Over time, Jelly Roll developed a distinctive sound that blended country, rock, and rap influences. Songs centered on pain, loss, and overcoming adversity helped him cultivate a loyal fan base before eventually breaking through on the mainstream charts.

Alongside his growing career, his relationship with Bunnie Xo attracted considerable public interest. The couple first met in 2015 after one of Jelly Roll’s performances at the Country Saloon in Las Vegas. Their relationship progressed quickly. Roughly a year later, Jelly Roll proposed to Bunnie on stage in Las Vegas. Following the proposal, the pair secretly married at a local courthouse without informing family members or friends.

Over the years, their love story was frequently cited as an example of resilience between two people who had both endured significant hardships. In 2023, they returned to the same venue where they had secretly married and renewed their wedding vows. The ceremony was widely shared on social media and was viewed as a symbolic new chapter in their relationship.

However, behind the public image of happiness were periods of significant difficulty. During an appearance on the Human School podcast in 2024, Jelly Roll admitted that cheating during the early years of their marriage was one of the greatest mistakes of his adult life.

I wish our story would’ve went in the way that it never had an affair, and I’m in no way glad it happened, but man, I’m proud of who we are today,” he said. “I truly am.”

That admission was later revisited by Bunnie Xo in her 2026 memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic. In the book, she revealed that her husband had been unfaithful for approximately ten months in 2018. It marked the first time she publicly shared detailed information about that painful chapter of their marriage.

“A lot of people… are like, ‘Why didn’t you leave?’ And I’m like, ‘I did leave.’ I did leave him and we were split for about 30 days,” she told PEOPLE earlier this year. “But I just loved that man so much that I just really, truly believe that he deserved a second chance.”

Those remarks sparked considerable discussion among fans. Some viewed forgiveness as an admirable choice, while others questioned whether trust could truly be rebuilt after betrayal. Nevertheless, both Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo repeatedly emphasized the effort they invested in repairing their relationship and restoring trust after the affair.

In her memoir, Bunnie also addressed the philosophy that guided their marriage. She wrote that their motto was that “we aren’t each other’s possessions and consider our relationship to be free, not open.” The statement reflected their attempt to build a partnership rooted in personal choice and mutual respect rather than ownership or control.

More than just a spouse, Bunnie Xo was widely seen as one of the most influential figures in Jelly Roll’s personal evolution. Throughout numerous interviews, the singer often credited her with helping him find stability and purpose. In a 2024 interview, he explained that his world became smaller in a positive way when he focused more on family.

“I prioritize family, and that’s what anchors me down,” he said. “Everything that I believe going right for me is in the fact that I’m pretty grounded in my family.”

Family has always been a central part of Jelly Roll’s public identity. He is the father of Bailee and Noah from previous relationships. For years, Bunnie embraced her role as stepmother and frequently appeared alongside the children during family events. Through podcasts and social media posts, she demonstrated a close bond with her husband’s children, something both she and Jelly Roll regarded as one of the greatest successes of their marriage.

In recent years, one of the topics the couple discussed most frequently was their desire to have a child together. They spoke openly about their fertility journey and the challenges associated with IVF treatments. Bunnie Xo acknowledged that the process had been longer and more difficult than anticipated, requiring substantial emotional and physical commitment.

In her memoir, she revealed that the couple had found a surrogate and hoped to welcome twins in the future. Speaking to PEOPLE in early 2026, Bunnie said: “I think we’re just ready for a piece of us. It has not been easy, but I know that God has a plan and he’s going to make it work. I really do. I have no doubt in my mind.”

It is precisely because of those future plans that news of the divorce has come as such a surprise. As of now, neither Jelly Roll nor Bunnie Xo has publicly commented on the reasons behind their decision to end the marriage. Representatives for both parties have also declined to respond to media inquiries.

Regardless of how their relationship concludes, there is little doubt that Bunnie Xo played a pivotal role during one of the most transformative periods of Jelly Roll’s life. From a man struggling with a troubled past, he rose to become a Grammy-winning artist and one of the most recognizable names in contemporary country music. Throughout that journey, his relationship with Bunnie remained an inseparable part of the public narrative surrounding his success.

Now, with divorce proceedings officially underway in Tennessee, the future remains uncertain for both individuals. Fans who have followed their story for years will likely continue to await further developments. Yet regardless of what lies ahead, the relationship between Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo will likely be remembered as a complex and deeply human story—one shaped by love, forgiveness, success, failure, and personal growth across nearly ten years of marriage.