Country star Jelly Roll has revealed that cheating on his wife, Bunnie Xo, was “one of the worst moments” of his life, but says the experience ultimately led to a stronger marriage.
The 40-year-old 'Son of a Sinner' singer, who recently showed off his 200-pound weight loss in Sydney, spoke candidly about his past infidelity on the Human School podcast, released Tuesday.
“It really blew me back”
Jelly Roll (born Jason Bradley DeFord) married Bunnie Xo (real name Alyssa DeFord) in 2016. The pair renewed their vows in 2023, celebrating how far they’d come together.
“I don’t talk about this publicly at all,” the musician admitted recently on the Human School Podcast. “But one of the worst moments of my adulthood was when I had an affair on my wife.”
He continued: “It was the first time that I was like, ‘I really can’t get this right at all. I know I’m in love with this woman.’ It just really, really blew me back.”
Repairing and rebuilding
The country singer said he put in significant effort to repair his marriage, describing the healing process as “special.”
“We are stronger than we could have ever been,” he shared. “I wish our story would’ve gone in a way that never had an affair. I am in no way glad it happened. But man, I am proud of who we are today.”
At the time, Jelly Roll said he was surrounded by “a bunch of people that were cheating on their wives”, a reflection of how his environment fueled his bad choices.
“When I was doing cocaine, I was hanging around a bunch of people that were doing cocaine. When I was drinking a lot, I was hanging around people who were drinking a lot,” he said. “I used to be proud of long-standing friendships just because they had a number attached to them, s****y humans.”
Now, the Grammy nominee said he focuses on surrounding himself with people who inspire him to grow. “I wanted to be friends with people I wanted to be like,” he explained.
“Our castle had to crumble”
The couple briefly separated in 2018, something Bunnie later addressed in a heartfelt TikTok video.
“Who knew that us breaking up in 2018, me moving back to Vegas and you coming to get me back, would have put us on this wild journey called life,” she wrote. “Our castle in the sand had to crumble so we could rebuild on solid ground.”
Jelly Roll and Bunnie rekindled their romance and re-exchanged vows in 2023 at the same Las Vegas chapel where they first said “I do” in 2016. The couple first met in 2015 and became close friends before starting their relationship the following year.
IVF journey and family plans
In 2023, Bunnie revealed the pair had started IVF treatment, sharing their journey publicly on social media.
“We had planned on doing this privately, but decided our IVF journey needed to be shared because we’ve always been so open,” she wrote. “We’re so excited and scared all at the same time.”
Jelly Roll is already father to two children – daughter Bailee, 17, and son Noah, nine – from previous relationships.
Life, love, and a new chapter
When asked what keeps their marriage strong, Jelly Roll told Fox News Digital: “Open, real, honest communication. We talk about the uncomfortable stuff up front. It’s a real important thing in our marriage. And we don’t take anything too serious. Laugh as much as you can. Laughter is the best medicine.”
As he embarks on his first headlining Australian tour, which kicked off October 24 in Sydney and will wrap November 8 in New Zealand, Jelly Roll seems to be embracing a new chapter; healthier, wiser, and more grounded in love.