Inside Jelly Roll’s life changing year as he drops surprise album featuring Keith Urban

Jelly Roll released his brand new album Beautifully Broken at midnight on Friday October 11, before surprising fans with a deluxe edition with six extra tracks, featuring Keith Urban, Halsey and more.

The deluxe edition – titled Beautifully Broken (Pickin’ Up The Pieces) – is his second album after the record-breaking debut country music album Whitsitt Chapel, which made him a Grammy nominee and won him New Artist Of the Year at the 2023 CMT Awards.

The new album, which has received rave reviews, comes at the end of an incredible 12 months for the singer – real name Jason DeFord – who had been making music for 20 years. He released early EPs in 2003 as a rapper, but his first studio album The Big Sal Story came in 2012, followed by six more hip hop albums.

In 2021 he released Ballads of the Broken, a more mainstream album, that included the songs “Dead Man Walking,” which went to number one on the rock charts, and  and the song “Son Of A Sinner” which over the course of months rose up the country radio charts to make its way to number one by March 2023.

© Ed Rode

“There is no greater reward for a singer and songwriter in Nashville, Tennessee than to have the #1 song on Country radio. Now, imagine that happening to a guy that grew up in this town…a guy that, at every turn for the first 25 years of his life, made the wrong decision,” Jelly said in a statement at the time.

“I vow to never let you down or forget the chance you gave me when everyone told you not to!”

During the success of that song, he also sold out Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, making his Grand Ole Opry debut and toured 44 cities across the US. At the 2023 CMT Music Awards, Jelly Roll won for Male Video of the Year, Male Breakthrough Video of the Year, and Digital-First Performance of the Year, all for the song “Son of a Sinner”.

By June 2023 he was ready to release his next album, Whitsitt Chapel, a full country album that included the hit singles “Need a Favor” and “Save Me” with Lainey Wilson, both of which went mainstream.

The success of the album saw Jelly, a father of two, win New Artist of the Year at the 2023 Country Music Association Awards and he was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2024 Annual Grammy Awards.

© Kevin Mazur

The following months saw him collaborate with Eminem, and he went on to perform at the 2024 Emmys, singing his latest single “I Am Not Okay” during the memoriam.

He also made his debut on Saturday Night Live, and gave a cameo as himself alongside Sylvester Stalone in Tulsa King.

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Not bad for a singer who has acknowledged life could have turned out very differently, as he was raised by a mother who herself was addicted to drugs and battled mental health issues. 

Jelly also abused drugs, and spent much of his teenage years and early 10s in jail for drug felonies and robbery. He earned his GED at the age of 23, and in recent years has become an outspoken advocate for anti-fentanyl legislation, even speaking in front of Congress in January 2024 in support of the new laws.

“I was a part of the problem. I am here now, standing as a man that wants to be a part of the solution,” he said.

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Married to Bunnie XO, the pair have also embarked on a health journey with Jelly losing 70lbs in 2024 alone.

The singer, who has been open about his health journey, has previously credited his transformation to “water and sleep,” and his desire to live to see his children grow up. He is dad to two children; daughter Bailee Ann and son Noah Buddy, both from previous relationships.

“My wife and I are talking about having a baby and it really made me realize, at almost 40, I was like, ‘That means I’ve got to live ’til at least 60. I’ve got to see this kid into college,'” he said on the Bussin’ with the Boys podcast.

“My plan was never to be 60. It was to be, like, 55,” he continued, “But now I’m like, ‘Well, I’d like to see my 60s.’ You know what I mean? And that really lit it up.”