In a moment that captivated the 2026 Grammy Awards, country artist Jelly Roll delivered a raw and tearful tribute to his wife, Bunnie XO, crediting her as the pivotal force behind his survival and transformation.
Accepting the award for Best Country Album for Beautifully Broken, the singer became visibly overcome while recounting his journey from a place of profound despair. He spoke directly of a past marked by legal troubles and incarceration, suggesting that without his wife’s intervention, his story might have ended tragically.
“I would have never changed my life without you,” he stated from the stage, his voice breaking. “I would have ended up dead or in jail. I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus.”
The album, he explained, was born from that period of intense struggle. “There was a time in my life that I was broken. That’s why I wrote this album,” he shared, describing himself as having once been “a horrible human.” He reflected on the solitude of a prison cell, where faith and music became his lifelines, asserting a belief in their universal, transformative power.
Backstage, the artist reflected on the significance of the win for the contemporary country genre, calling the recent impact of country music an “undeniable tsunami.”
When briefly questioned on broader societal issues during the event, Jelly Roll demurred, describing a sense of personal disconnection rooted in his upbringing. “I didn’t know politics were real until I was in my mid-20s in jail,” he remarked.
Now, his focus has shifted to personal health, framing it as another critical battle. “I had to fight my food addiction just the way I fought my drug addiction,” he revealed, noting a significant weight loss journey with his wife’s steadfast support. He has publicly set a goal to lose another hundred pounds, promising a celebratory skydiving trip with Bunnie XO upon its achievement.