Jelly Roll has a huge night ahead of him at the 2024 ACM Awards after earning his first nominations – four to be exact – and his biggest supporter, his wife Bunnie Xo, will be by his side to cheer him on.
The 39-year-old, real name Jason Bradley DeFord, has been married to the podcaster, real name Alisa DeFord, since 2016 after meeting the year prior, and he isn't shy about publicly declaring his love for her, recently calling her his "best friend" and "partner".
However, despite sparks between the two, Bunnie Xo was in an abusive relationship at the time of their first encounter, and they went their separate ways – but not for long. Here's all you need to know about how Jelly Roll met his wife...
© Getty ImagesWho is Bunnie Xo?
When she's not supporting her husband at his shows or appearing in his music videos, Bunnie Xo has a successful career as a podcaster after launching her show, Dumb Blonde, following the success of her YouTube channel.
In the podcast description, Bunnie Xo refers to herself as "the degenerate love child of Dolly Parton & Dr. Ruth," and has interviewed a variety of people including Jeffree Star, Priscilla Block, and Brantley Gilbert.
© Erika GoldringFollowing the season six premiere, Jelly Roll paid a touching tribute to his wife on Instagram, praising her for her accomplishments. "I watched her build her own platform, her own podcast and her own team with ZERO help from me," he wrote in part.
"She wanted to do it on her own, she didn't want to be just 'Jelly Roll's wife' she wanted to build her own empire to empower women and share her story in hopes that it could motivate others to believe that they could change their lives and be happy."
First meeting
© Getty ImagesJelly Roll and Bunnie Xo met in 2015 when she attended one of his gigs at Country Saloon in Las Vegas. The future couple were introduced backstage, but Bunnie was in an abusive relationship at the time, according to Jelly Roll.
"We hit it off. She said she fell in love with the saddest eyes in the room," he told Taste of Country Nights back in 2022.
Bunnie split from her partner soon after meeting her future husband and the pair were reacquainted by mutual friends, with their friendship soon turning romantic.
© Getty Images"They split and I'm not going to act like I shot my shot. She kind of shot hers," he explained.
"We had mutual friends. She said, 'Yo. Just plug me in with Jelly.' And I hit her on some other [expletive]. I was like, 'Yo. I’m going to be coming out to shoot some content and video stuff. She was like, 'Yeah! C'mon!'"
Bunnie Xo offered her home up to him when he returned to Vegas and the couple have been together ever since. "It's a white trash love story," he joked. "When I hugged her, I could just feel the genuineness of her. I could tell it wasn't an act."
Wedding
After one year of dating, Jelly Roll popped the question to Bunnie Xo while on stage in Vegas. Not wanting to waste any time, the couple had an impromptu wedding that evening and tied the knot in a courthouse ceremony on August 31, 2016. They renewed their vows in 2023.
"Looking back at what felt like the absolute wildest decision I ever made it ended up literally being the best decision I've made my entire life," he penned in a gushing post on Instagram to mark their sixth anniversary last year.
He added: "This woman has truly changed my life in every way possible. She truly changed the lens in which I see life through. These last 6 years have been a testament of the growth two rebels can make when they bring the best out of each other and push each other to the next level."
Children
© Jason KempinJelly Roll is a father of one, but he does not have any biological children with Bunnie Xo. She is a stepmom to his daughter, Bailee Ann, whom he had with his ex-partner Felicia.
The country music star was incarcerated for drug dealing when his daughter was born in 2008. In 2017, Bunnie Xo helped him get custody of Bailee, and he has raved about her involvement in his daughter's life.
"It takes a special kind of woman to raise a kid that isn't her child and still treat the child as if she was," he said in 2020.
"You are the epitome of a good mom and deserve more credit than anyone because you didn't have to step up to the plate the way you did. You chose to step up and man you have knocked it out of the park. Thank you Mama Bear — we love you."
