Country music star Jelly Roll has filed for divorce from his wife Bunnie XO in Williamson County, Tennessee. Court records show the filing occurred on May 18, 2026, with a listed separation date of May 9. The documents cite irreconcilable differences, and people close to the couple say the decision was mutual and handled privately, with both committed to continuing to co-parent their blended family.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, and Bunnie XO, whose legal name is Alisa DeFord, first crossed paths in 2015 in Las Vegas. At the time, Jelly Roll was performing at a small venue called the Country Saloon while living out of a van and still relatively unknown. Bunnie felt an immediate connection with the performer who would later become one of country music’s biggest success stories. After roughly a year of dating, Jelly Roll proposed to her onstage during a show in Las Vegas. That same evening they married in a spontaneous courthouse ceremony at a local chapel, keeping the wedding secret from most of their friends and family.
Their early years together were not without serious challenges. In 2018, Jelly Roll had an affair that lasted approximately ten months. Bunnie later described in her memoir the deep pain the betrayal caused her, including a period where she contemplated ending her own life before ultimately choosing to leave for a time. The couple separated briefly, with accounts varying between thirty days and up to three months. Bunnie has spoken openly about deciding to give him a second chance, explaining that she loved him deeply and believed he needed someone to truly love him. She has said they put in significant work to repair the damage and rebuild trust. In 2023, they returned to the same Las Vegas chapel to renew their vows, marking seven years together with a more public recommitment.
Over the years the pair built a blended family. Jelly Roll has a daughter named Bailee from a previous relationship, and Bunnie has a son named Noah. Both have often spoken about how central family became to their lives. In recent years, as Jelly Roll’s career reached new heights and the couple achieved greater financial and emotional stability, they began discussing plans to expand their family further through IVF and surrogacy. Bunnie released her candid memoir “Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic” earlier in 2026, sharing raw details about her own difficult past and the ups and downs of their relationship.
Just months before the divorce filing, Jelly Roll won Best Contemporary Country Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards and gave an emotional acceptance speech in which he publicly thanked Bunnie for helping him turn his life around. He said he would have ended up dead or in jail without her support and credited both her and his faith for saving him. The couple appeared affectionate together on the red carpet that night.
The decision to separate now comes after a stretch that outwardly appeared strong and forward-looking. After years of working through personal struggles, supporting each other’s growth, and achieving the stability they had once dreamed about, the couple reached a point where they felt their paths were diverging. Sources describe the split as amicable with no single dramatic incident triggering the filing. Instead, it reflects a quiet mutual understanding reached after nearly a decade together.
Bunnie XO has not yet made a direct public statement about the divorce. However, in the days leading up to the news becoming public she posted several cryptic messages on her Instagram Stories. One read “She’s getting her sparkle back” alongside a photo of herself in lingerie. In her memoir and previous interviews she has been candid about the pain of the 2018 affair and her choice to fight for the relationship, often emphasizing themes of forgiveness, second chances, and personal healing. Her recent posts have been widely interpreted by fans as signs of personal strength and renewal.
Throughout their relationship the couple frequently shared how they had each come from difficult backgrounds and found strength in one another. Jelly Roll has long spoken about overcoming addiction and legal troubles from his youth in Antioch, Tennessee, while crediting Bunnie with being a steady anchor. Bunnie, known for her “Dumb Blonde” podcast and outspoken personality, has built her own platform while standing beside him through career highs and personal lows. Their story was often viewed by fans as one of redemption and enduring partnership.
As the legal process moves forward in Tennessee, both Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO have made clear through sources that protecting their children and handling the transition privately remain their top priorities. Movers were seen at their Nashville-area home in recent days, though no official comments have been released by either side. The couple who once promised each other a lifetime in a spontaneous Las Vegas ceremony has now chosen to close this chapter of their lives with the same emphasis on privacy and care that marked much of their time together.
Court records from Williamson County confirm the May 18 filing. Jelly Roll maintains an active presence through his official channels at jellyroll615.com. Bunnie XO continues to share updates through her podcast and social platforms.
