How Jelly Roll Is Parenting 16-Year-Old Daughter After His Teen Arrest

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Jelly Roll and Wife Bunnie XO Announce Plans to Have a Baby

Jelly Roll isn't shying distant from hard conversations.

The "I Am Not Okay" singer—whose existent sanction is Jason Bradley DeFord—has had immoderate frank conversations with his 16-year-old daughter, Bailee, present that she's older than helium was erstwhile helium archetypal got arrested astatine the property of 14.

"I said, 'I don’t justice you based connected what you do. I justice you based connected what I cognize you’re susceptible of,'" Jelly Roll told People in an interrogation published Nov. 27. "'You’re truthful overmuch smarter than I was astatine 16. You’re truthful overmuch better, truthful overmuch much emotionally intelligent.'"

The 39-year-old—who is besides begetter to Noah, 8, who helium shares with ex Melisa Ann Cowell—continued, "'You tin work a country truthful overmuch better. So don’t effort to speech your mode retired of getting successful trouble, Miss Sassy, by weaponizing my past.'"

Bailee—who the Grammy nominee shares with ex Felicia Beckwith—was calved erstwhile her begetter was down bars. Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie Xo person had custody of her since 2017 owed to her mother's struggles with addiction, and the "Lonely Road" hitmaker said that she's "totally ahead" of wherever helium was erstwhile helium was her age.

"When I look astatine what she does that I see horrible, I look backmost astatine what I was doing astatine 16, and I’m like, ‘Oh man…'" helium shared. "When I’m hard connected her astir worldly oregon a small pushy, she knows it’s from love."

The vocalist went connected to gush astir however grounded Bailee has remained contempt everything that her parents person gone through.

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"We were really, truly adjacent earlier it exploded, but she understands what it’s doing for her aboriginal and the family’s future," Jelly Roll reflected. "She’s a truly hammered down kid."

"She’s been successful the aforesaid nationalist schoolhouse territory for 10 years and had the aforesaid friends since maine and Bunnie person had custody of her," helium added. "I deliberation a batch of that has helped."

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While she's learning from her father's missteps, that doesn't mean that Bailee volition travel successful his footsteps career-wise. The teen recently revealed that she doesn't "have immoderate interest" successful pursuing euphony professionally. 

In fact, she has her sights acceptable connected a full different vocation path: law.

"I privation to spell to Columbia for law," Bailee told Bunnie connected a caller occurrence of her Dumb Blonde podcast. "That’s wherever I privation to go, and I privation to survey law."

Keep speechmaking for much connected Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo's relationship.

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The Story of How Jelly Rolly & Bunnie XO Met

Bunnie XO and Jelly Roll's emotion communicative began successful Las Vegas.

As she recalled connected Bussin' With The Boys, she met the vocalist successful August 2015 erstwhile helium performed astatine the Las Vegas Country Club. This was earlier Jelly Roll was famous. At the time, helium was surviving successful a van, and helium estimated astir 20 radical were astatine the show.

Instead, their spark took halfway stage.

"When I met him, I archer everybody it's the astir f--king cliché s--t, but virtually my psyche was like, 'There you are,'" Bunnie said connected the podcast successful 2023. "And he's not my type. I'm not his type. He loves Taylor Swift. That's his type."

Still, a romance didn't signifier close away. Bunnie was successful an unhealthy relationship, she continued, and Jelly Roll was doing his ain thing. But successful October 2015, they reconnected. And arsenic Bunnie enactment it, she was "just smitten."

After her ex went to prison, she added, she told a person to springiness Jelly Roll her telephone number. Bunnie said the instrumentalist would telephone and substance her for proposal connected his girl Bailee from a erstwhile relationship.

However, Bunnie noted her enslaved with Jelly Roll shifted from platonic to romanticist successful July 2016 erstwhile helium returned to Vegas to movie immoderate videos and they slept together.

"We're similar s--t-faced drunk," she remembered. "I'm trying to get it up, get it in, get it connected and get it out, and this feline was like, 'What's your five-year plan?'"

So, they discussed their goals, and Bunnie recalled Jelly Roll saying, "OK, cool. Let's bash it."

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Wedding Day

And they did.

"We got joined a period later," Bunnie added connected Bussin' With The Boys, sharing she wed Jelly Roll astatine Las Vegas' Stained Glass Wedding Chapel successful August 2016, "and f--kin we did the five-year plan. Literally finished it each the mode done to the 5th year. The past happening was buying our ain house."

Another 1 of Bunnie's goals was to motorboat her ain podcast. 

"When she came retired of the enactment moving industry, I'm sitting down with her and I'm like, 'Well, what are you passionate about?' Jelly Roll said connected The Howard Stern Show in June 2024. "She's like, 'I'd emotion to bash immoderate benignant of a speech show.'"

Bunnie near the enactment enactment manufacture successful 2019 and debuted the Dumb Blonde podcast aboriginal that year. And she utilized the wealth she had made to assistance substance Jelly Roll's dreams.

"I invested successful his [2017] Addiction Kills album," Bunnie said connected Sofia Franklyn's podcast Sofia with an F. "I helped him with that. He needed custody of his daughter, I helped him with that."

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Daughter Bailee Ann

Jelly Roll's girl Bailee was calved successful 2008. 

At the time, helium was successful situation for cause dealing.

"My girl saved my life," Jelly Roll said successful his 2023 documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me. "She wasn't aged capable to adjacent cognize it."

Bailee said successful the doc her dada entered her beingness erstwhile she was 2, erstwhile helium was successful the aboriginal stages of his euphony vocation and surviving successful his van. And portion Jelly Roll admitted helium was a "very less-than-present father," astatine the time, that changed erstwhile helium sought afloat custody of Bailee amid her mother's conflict with addiction.

Though Jelly Roll and Bunnie were successful the aboriginal stages of their romance, helium revealed connected the Bussin' With the Boys podcast that she paid for a lawyer and "bankrolled the full s--t." The 2 besides re-evaluated their lives.

"Who was I, us, to instrumentality her from her ma and bring her into our location if we're implicit present conscionable popping pills and doing the aforesaid thing? What makes america better?" Bunnie said successful the doc. "I was conscionable like, 'This is it. I'm done.' And I virtually ne'er touched a pill again."

She besides stepped into a maternal role.

"Thank you Papa Roll for giving maine the accidental to beryllium the ma I ne'er had," Bunnie wrote for Bailee's Sweet 16 successful 2024. "But astir importantly- Thank you to the sweetest, sassiest 16 twelvemonth aged for teaching maine the astir healing beingness lessons ever these past 8 years & letting maine beryllium your mama."

TikTok / Bunnie XO

Son Noah Buddy

In August 2016—days earlier Jelly Roll and Bunnie wed and portion helium was seeking custody of Bailee—he welcomed lad Noah.

"God Bless this Child to beryllium everything I americium not!" the "Need a Favor" creator wrote connected Facebook aft the birth. "Noah Buddy DeFord! I commune helium nor Bailee ever person to wage for their father's sins."

Over the years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie person kept overmuch of Noah's beingness private. However, they've shared a fewer glimpses into his world.

In July 2023, for instance, Bunnie posted a TikTok where she asked Noah questions similar what's his favourite athletics (soccer) and what does helium similar to bash astatine the formation (play successful the water)? Still, she made it wide she'd asked his ma for support earlier posting the video, penning successful the comments "always mama approved first."

In fact, Bunnie and Jelly Roll are connected bully presumption with Noah's mother.

"She’s 1 basal up chick & we couldn’t ideate our lives without her," she wrote successful a Facebook post, "she holds it down for babe Noah & america particularly due to the fact that we are connected the roadworthy truthful much."

And Bunnie loves being his stepmom.

"Nothing brings maine much joyousness past getting to ticker my bonus babies turn up," she wrote connected Instagram successful October 2024 aft Noah attended 1 of his dad's shows. "I’m not 1 to get affectional but conscionable being successful this small boy’s beingness since the time helium was calved is specified a privilege. Thankful for his mama arsenic well."

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The Breakup

Two years aft Jelly Roll and Bunnie wed, they separated. Still, their emotion couldn't support them isolated and they rekindled their romance aboriginal that year.

"Who knew that america breaking up successful 2018, maine moving backmost to Vegas & you coming to get maine backmost - would person enactment america connected this chaotic travel called life," Bunnie wrote connected TikTok successful February 2023. "We yet committed to each different & did everything we promised each different the archetypal nighttime successful 2016. Our castle successful the soil had to crumble truthful we could rebuild connected coagulated ground. I yuh you truthful mushhh."

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Red Carpet Debut

As Jelly Roll's prima continued to rise, helium and Bunnie walked their archetypal reddish carpet unneurotic astatine the 2022 CMA Awards.

"We're similar the Addams Family of the state era," she said successful Jelly Roll: Save Me. "We don't beryllium here, but we're here."

TikTok / Bunnie XO

Vow Renewal

In 2023, 7 years aft they archetypal tied the knot, Jelly Roll and Bunnie renewed their vows.

Looking backmost astatine their archetypal locomotion down the aisle, the podcaster recalled successful a tribute however the Grammy nominee, "grabbed my hands & looked maine consecutive successful the eyes & said, 'Bunnie, our lives won’t ever beryllium similar this. You won’t person to bash what you bash for overmuch longer, we’re going to fig this out. I committedness you.'" 

And helium made bully connected that promise.

"I had nary thought what the satellite had successful store for us, but I didn’t attraction arsenic agelong arsenic I had you by my broadside to conquer it," Bunnie added. "These past 7 years person been a whirlwind acheronian fairytale. Nothing we person accomplished arsenic lovers & friends was easy. We fought to go the radical we are, to interruption the puerility traumas we were 'blessed' with & larn to emotion successful a steadfast way. To close each our wrongs & make a location to rise Bailee successful that she tin beryllium arrogant of. No substance what beingness has thrown our mode we walked thru the occurrence together, manus successful manus w/ a smile."

And they'll proceed doing conscionable that.

"You are my missing puzzle piece," Bunnie noted to Jelly Roll. "My harmless space. The antheral that makes maine creation successful my feminine energy. My champion friend, my leader & the top antheral I’ve ever known. They don’t marque ‘em similar you anymore Jason DeFord."

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Music Muse

And they proceed to unrecorded successful harmony. In fact, Bunnie has inspired immoderate of Jelly Roll's songs, including "Woman" and "Kill a Man" to sanction a few.

"She's the best, man," the state euphony prima said portion speaking astir the second way to Entertainment Tonight. "I person attempted to constitute 1,000 emotion songs, and I thought each of them were a small corny. So I was like, 'How bash I constitute a emotion opus and support my manliness but I besides tin wholly unfastened myself to however successful emotion I am?'"

He added, "I don't spot immoderate different pistillate connected Earth but her, and I wanted to constitute a opus that reflected that and was vulnerable."

Jelly Roll and Bunnie besides co-starred successful the euphony videos for "Wheels Fall Off" arsenic good arsenic "Lonely Road" featuring Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.

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Each Other's No. 1 Fans

Whether successful the assemblage oregon astatine home, Bunnie is ever cheering for Jelly Roll.

"My saccharine hubby the visionary. The maestro of misfits," she wrote successful a tribute successful grant of his 2024 CMT Music Awards. "You are not an overnight occurrence story, this has been 20 years successful the making."

That journey, Bunnie continued, has included "days wherever we thought nary 1 was listening to the music, & nights that turned into filled arenas."

"I’ve watched you determination your psyche into a pen & constitute therapeutic hymns for the breached lone for those hymns to determination consecutive into their hearts," she added. "Therapeutic euphony that kisses the cracks of their souls & adjacent if conscionable for that moment- they kno they are understood & seen."

And their committedness to each different done it each is euphony to fans' ears.

"Papabear your dependable is an instrumentality of healing & the satellite is your choir," Bunnie continued. "I LOVE YOU IN THIS LIFETIME & EVERY OTHER ONE IM LUCKY TO BE BY YOUR SIDE IN."

Of course, Jelly Roll roots Bunnie on, too.

"Watching what you person built connected societal media and with your podcast is amazing," helium wrote successful portion of a message for their 8 anniversary. "To spot the mode you animate radical particularly different women makes my bosom privation to detonate with joy."

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Fierce Defender

But marque nary mistake, Bunnie XO isn't going to nonstop hugs and kisses if you travel for her man.

The societal media prima slammed hurfult online comments Jelly Roll received astir his weight.

"My hubby got disconnected the internet due to the fact that he's truthful bushed of being bullied astir his f--king weight," she said connected an April 2024 episode of Dumb Blonde. "And that makes maine privation to outcry due to the fact that helium is the sweetest angel baby."

And portion Bunnie said Jelly Roll doesn't amusement however these comments impact him, she noted they bash instrumentality a toll.

"The net tin accidental immoderate the f--k they privation astir you, and they say, 'Well, you're a celebrity. You're expected to beryllium capable to grip it,'" she continued. "No, the f--k we're not."

Bunnie past reminded listeners that this benignant of behaviour is ne'er OK.

"Don't bully people," she said, "because you ne'er cognize wherever they are mentally."

And Bunnie made it wide she won't fto bullies' remarks slide. 

"I'm sorry, I'm going to basal up for each the f--king underdogs," she noted. "You're ne'er gonna bully me. You're ne'er gonna prevarication astir maine and my family, and I'm going to combat 'til the end."

Taylor Hill/WireImage

IVF Journey

Jelly Roll and Bunnie person been unfastened astir their efforts to turn their family.

After the "Son of a Sinner" prima revealed they've discussed having a baby, his woman shared the steps they've taken.

"We had planned connected doing this privately, but decided our IVF travel needed to beryllium shared due to the fact that we've ever been truthful open," Bunnie wrote successful a June 2024 Instagram post, "And w/ each likelihood stacked against us, it's already been hard & we person lone conscionable begun."

Still, they stay hopeful.

"We person been gathering w/ IVF doctors & exploring each our optinos to adhd to our family," she continued. "J & I are SO excited & frightened each astatine the aforesaid time. We genuinely ne'er thought we'd privation to adhd to our household but thing changed this twelvemonth & we some conscionable privation a portion of america unneurotic to adhd to our already cleanable household with Bailee & Noah."

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