Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson joined forces once again for a powerful performance of “Save Me” at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday, April 1.
The genre-bending star teamed up with the Bell Bottom Country queen to recreate the fan-favorite tune, “Save Me,” at Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Surrounded by hundreds of burning candles, Jelly Roll kicked off the performance singing the opening verse before Lainey Wilson, donning leather bell bottoms and a feather and fringe ensemble, joined him on stage for the second verse. The pair of chart-topping artists then flawlessly combined their distinctive vocals on the chorus in perfect harmony.
“I’m a lost cause / Baby, don’t waste your time on me / I’m so damaged beyond repair / Life has shattered my hopes and my dreams,” Jelly Roll and Wilson sang on the chorus.
“The Coolest Looking Television Performance I’ve Ever Had”
Ahead of the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards, Jelly Roll opened up about their performance during an interview with Billboard on the yellow carpet.
“It’s so cool, and it feels good because I’m here representing Country music. Me and Lainey are the only two Country acts, so I take good pride in that,” Jelly Roll told the outlet. “Listen, I can tell you this, it might be the coolest looking television performance I’ve ever had. The production is so intimate, it matches the song perfectly. I’ve never seen a better feeling and setting for this song. It’s exciting!”
About Jelly Roll’s “Save Me”
The new reimagined version of “Save Me” featuring Lainey Wilson appears on Jelly Roll’s latest album, WHITSITT CHAPEL, which arrived on June 2, 2023. The tune was originally recorded as a solo song on Jelly Roll’s 2020 album, Self Medicated.
Co-written by Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, alongside David Ray Stevens, “Save Me” finds the Antioch, Tennessee native begging for help with addiction.
“Somebody save me, me from myself/ I’ve spent so long living in Hell/ They say my lifestyle is bad for my health/ It’s the only thing that seems to help,” Jelly Roll sang on the track’s first verse.
Jelly Roll Says Lainey Wilson Gave “Save Me” A Whole New Life
During a recent interview with Pure Country, Jelly Roll opened up about creating a new version of the tune with Lainey Wilson.
“It was a no-brainer,” Jelly Roll said of adding Wilson to the track. “Lainey’s like a sister. I think she’s got one of the best voices in country music, and we’re already friends, so it was just such an easy collab. Now, admittedly, what I didn’t think about at the exact time, the first thought was just like, ‘Man, wouldn’t this be cool to do a real duet?’ But I didn’t realize how much of an impact the song was going to have on me when I heard it from the perspective of a woman.”
Jelly Roll also shared that Wilson gave a whole new life to the song. “I tell Lainey all the time, she’s like, ‘This song is doing incredible.’ And I was like, ‘It has nothing to do with me, Lainey.’ I’ve already put this song out,” he continued. “I was like, ‘People are hearing this from the perspective of a woman right now, and it’s putting a whole different energy into the universe from this song.’ You know what I mean?”
Whenever the two hitmakers get the opportunity to perform the song together, Jelly Roll said, “it’s electric.”
“When we look each other in the eye on that ‘all of this drinking’ part, man, I see her soul,” he added at the time. “I see every painful thing she’s been through in her life and her eyes at that moment. It’s insane.”
Previously Performed The Tune At 2023 ACM Awards And On American Idol
Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson debuted the collaborative version of the song at the 2023 ACM Awards in what became one of the most buzzed-about moments of the evening. The artists also joined forces during the Season 21 Finale of American Idol for another televised performance of the song.
Additionally, “Save Me” is the title of Jelly Roll’s documentary. The clip gives fans an unfiltered and raw look into Jelly Roll’s inspiring story, showcasing his transition from an incarcerated teen to an adult.
