Music Couple Splits
Country Star Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo File for Divorce After a Decade of Marriage
Country singer-rapper Jelly Roll has filed for divorce from his wife, Bunnie Xo, ending a nearly decade-long marriage. Jason DeFord, 41, filed the papers in Williamson County, Tennessee, on May 18, 2026, just months after crediting Bunnie with saving his life at the Grammy Awards, according to TMZ.
The split caught fans off guard. Only four months earlier, at the 2026 Grammy Awards, Jelly Roll told the crowd: "I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you." He won Best Contemporary Country Album for *Beautifully Broken* that night, according to Billboard.
A Vegas Wedding That Almost Lasted a Decade
Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo — born Alisa Andrea Carter DeFord, 46 — married on August 31, 2016, in an impromptu Las Vegas courthouse ceremony. He had proposed onstage earlier that same evening, according to People. The couple even returned to the same Las Vegas chapel on their seventh anniversary in 2023 to renew their vows.
The marriage was not without bumps. In 2018, Jelly Roll admitted to a 10-month affair. Bunnie later wrote in her 2026 memoir, *Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic*, that "the castle in the sand had to crumble so we could rebuild on solid ground," Billboard reported. That memoir debuted at No. 1 on the *New York Times* bestseller list in February 2026.
Court Filing Cites Irreconcilable Differences, Legal Separation Began May 9
Court documents list May 9, 2026, as the date of legal separation — nine days before the official filing. The divorce petition cites irreconcilable differences under Tennessee's no-fault divorce law. That means neither side is blaming the other in court documents, according to Taste of Country.
The couple shares no biological children but has raised two kids together. Bailee Ann DeFord, 18, is Jelly Roll's daughter from a previous relationship. Bunnie has served as her primary mother figure since 2017. Sources told TMZ the split is mutual and the pair plans to keep co-parenting.
Bunnie Dropped Hints on Social Media Before News Broke
On June 15 — hours before the divorce news went public — Bunnie posted a video lip-syncing to Nickelback's "How You Remind Me," a breakup anthem, with the caption "She's getting her sparkle back," according to Parade. Observers also noted she had quietly removed recent photos of Jelly Roll from her Instagram in the days before the announcement.
The couple's last joint social media post came on May 3. It showed Jelly Roll's daughter Bailee before her prom. That was 15 days before the divorce filing hit the court, Country Rebel reported.
Career Turbulence Surrounds the Personal Fallout
The divorce comes during a stormy stretch professionally. Post Malone canceled six stadium tour dates with Jelly Roll in early June 2026, citing "poor time management." The cancellations hit El Paso, Waco, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, Tampa, and Oxford. The move came amid online backlash over Jelly Roll's perceived political ties, according to The Mirror.
Jelly Roll's net worth is estimated at $12 million, with most of his mainstream success arriving after "Son of a Sinner" in 2022 — well within the marriage. That means asset division, including future royalties, could get complicated, Taste of Country noted. He is still scheduled for festival appearances through the summer of 2026.
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