Jelly Roll was shocked when his 18-year-old daughter Bailee Ann surprised him onstage during his headlining concert at Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, Michigan on The Little ASS Shed Tour on Saturday, June 13, just two days before it was revealed that the “Save Me” singer had filed for divorce from his wife Bunnie XO.
Jelly Roll’s Daughter Bailee Ann Surprises Him Amid Divorce From Bunnie XO
The emotional moment unfolded in the midst of his 19-song set when his daughter walked onto the stage without warning and embraced her famous father in a hug.
“I thought she was still in Europe y’all. This little f****r just lied to me on the phone and told me that she was at the Amalfi Coast and that she was going to see me tomorrow in Toronto,” he said through tears after his daughter surprised him on stage after his performance of “Bloodline.”
Bailee Ann Flew In From Europe, Performs Duets With Jelly Roll
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, also took a moment onstage to reflect on his daughter breaking generational cycles in his family, sharing that she is the first on his side to graduate high school and go on to attend college.
“That’s so cool y’all. I had no idea. Speaking of breaking generational curses, she was the first kid on our side of the family to graduate high school. She’s going to be the first kid on my particular side of the family that’s going to be a college student. Her and her girlfriend just finished a 20 day trip in Europe for their senior trip. She just flew in. Life’s not about what you do… it’s about who you do it with. I hope this song becomes the soundtrack to the rest of your night and the rest of our life.”
The father/daughter pair went on to perform a cover of “Good Riddance (Time Of You Life)” by Green Day and more. In the midst of their duet, Jelly Roll gushed, “oh what a beautiful… this can’t get no better for me y’all.”
They also teamed up for a performance of “Wild Ones,” the collaboration originally recorded by Jelly Roll and Jessie Murph.
Jelly Roll And Bunnie XO Divorce
Two days after Bailee Ann’s surprise onstage appearance with her father, details emerged from TMZ revealing that he had filed for divorce from his wife Bunnie XO in May of 2026.
According to court documents obtained by the outlet, Jelly Roll filed for divorce from Bunnie XO, whose real name is Alisa Andrea DeFord (née Carter), after nearly a decade of marriage. The documents state that the “Save Me” singer filed to end his marriage to the host of The Dumb Blonde Podcast in Williamson County, Tennessee on May 18, 2026, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason their breakup.
The records also show the couple separated on May 9, just nine days before the filing, which was submitted by Jelly Roll’s attorney Rose Palermo, who previously represented Kristin Cavallari in her divorce from Jay Cutler.
Sources also confirmed to TMZ that the “divorce was mutual decision by the two and a private family matter.” TMZ also obtained a photo of a moving truck outside their Tennessee home on Monday (June 15) with several workers appearing to haul items out of the property.
It’s also worth noting that Jelly Roll appeared as a surprise performer at Nissan Stadium during the June 6 CMA Fest lineup, where he was seen without his wedding ring.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO first met in 2015 at one of the Nashville native’s shows on Fremont Street in Las Vegas at The Country Saloon. At the time, Bunnie XO wasn’t familiar with Jelly Roll, who had not yet broken into the mainstream. Despite not knowing each other right off the bat, the two locked eyes and sparked a connection.
“We hit it off. She said she fell in love with the saddest eyes in the room,” Jelly Roll previously shared.
In August 2023, the couple returned to the Las Vegas chapel where they originally wed to renew their vows in an intimate ceremony held at the same venue where they first said “I do.” Over the years, Bunnie XO has also served as inspiration for several of Jelly Roll’s songs, including “Kill A Man,” “Comfort Zone,” “Thorns,” among others.
Through the highs and lows of their journey, the pair have consistently supported one another both personally and professionally. Jelly Roll has two children, Bailee Ann and Noah Buddy, from previous relationships, with Bunnie XO embracing her role as stepmother.
Neither Jelly Roll nor Bunnie Xo have publicly addressed the reported filing at the time of posting this story.
