The country music star Jelly Roll has initiated divorce proceedings against his wife, Bunnie Xo. Legal documents filed on May 18 in Williamson County, Tennessee indicate the separation date was May 9. The reason cited for the divorce is irreconcilable differences.
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo, real name Alisa DeFord, married in August 2016. Their wedding took place in a quick Las Vegas ceremony after having met the previous year. Bunnie became the stepmother to Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, and son, Noah.
Earlier this year, in February during the 2026 Grammys, Jelly Roll, aged 41, and Bunnie, aged 46, appeared publicly affectionate. They walked the red carpet together and showed affection inside the venue. Jelly Roll also acknowledged Bunnie during his acceptance speech for the Grammy for Best Contemporary Country Album.
Bunnie has openly discussed their tumultuous relationship in her memoir, ‘Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic.’ She revealed the challenges and personal struggles that marked their early years together.
When I found out about it, I was devastated,” Bunnie confessed in an interview. “I was hurt because I didn’t think he would do that. I thought he was different. But instead of getting mad at him, I asked myself, ‘Why do I keep attracting those kind of men?’
She emphasized that their marriage wasn’t traditional, as Jelly Roll was an ex-drug dealer and she was a working girl. This led to a different dynamic between them compared to conventional marriages.
In her memoir, Bunnie recounted an incident involving Jelly Roll’s ex-fling staying nearby. “Are you kidding me?” she documented. “We had an agreement… It became easier to disconnect from him.’
She also mentioned her dislike for Jelly Roll’s 2018 album, ‘Waylon & Willie II,’ and felt the lyrics reflected his guilt during an affair.
Bunnie explained that their issues largely stemmed from personal baggage each brought into the relationship. “I think a lot of it boiled down to self-worth on both parts,” she noted.
She highlighted her challenging past, including witnessing infidelity in her family, shaping her views on marriage.
The couple did attempt couples’ therapy to mend their marriage, but it resulted in intense emotional outbursts. “We left that session and thought we were done,” Bunnie stated.
However, they managed to reunite and chose to work together on self-improvement and breaking negative patterns.
Bunnie emphasized the uniqueness of each marriage. Each relationship is completely different than the next person’s. But you do have to wake up and choose that person even on days that you don’t like them,” she reflected.
In 2023, they renewed their vows at the same chapel in Las Vegas to reaffirm their commitment to one another.
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