Jelly Roll announces break from music after Bunnie Xo divorce

Jelly Roll has announced he will be taking a step back from the public eye for his mental health following his divorce from Bunnie Xo. The country rapper finalised the divorce from the podcast host and entrepreneur last month.

The 'Hands Up' musician, 41, real name Jason DeFord shocked fans when he said that he would be taking a hiatus from performing for at least a year during a concert at the Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, last week.

“This has truly been a lifetime experience for me,” he told the audience, as reported in Country Now. “And in a couple of nights, I go to Colorado Springs and do my last show for a year or two.”

The Grammy-winner continued: “I’m fixing to take some time off and heal. Thank you for the opportunity.” Jelly Roll’s last scheduled performance was then on 30 July at the Weidner Field in Colorado Springs. It is not known when he will return to the stage or release new music.

The musician will now take a break some five years after making his Grand Ole Opry debut back in 2021. He had his first number one country hit with 'Son of a Sinner' in 2023 and has gone on to win a Country Music Association Award, CMT Music Award and People's Choice Country Award.

The country singer and rapper had married Bunnie Xo, real name Alisa Andrea DeFord, in Las Vegas in 2016 after an on-stage proposal. But his decision to take a break from the spotlight comes just weeks after it was revealed that the pair were splitting.

Within the court records obtained by Page Six, the two split due to irreconcilable differences. They also claim that Bunnie will receive a one-time lump sum payment as part of the split.

"You will be my best friend forever"

When their split was first announced, Bunnie Xo called the country star her 'best friend', describing their ten years together as the 'coolest time of my life' in an episode aired on her 'Dumb Blonde' podcast.

Days later, Jelly first spoke out about the split while performing at a gig in Saratoga Springs, New York. “Me and my wife are best friends, we will always be best friends,” he said according to PEOPLE, adding: “She will probably be the only woman I’ll ever love the way I loved her.”

In a post on his Instagram of the concert moment in which the musician referenced the split, he cleared up the rumour mill and described the internet as a 'liar'. He said: "It's the only time, and the only city, where I'm going to speak about this. So break your camera phones out now.

"We just got off the phone earlier today. Nobody cheated on nobody. She just did a whole podcast about it. You can go and watch it. Every word of it is the truth.

"That will be my best friend forever. Bunnie, I love you baby. Thank you for those ten years. They were incredible. Thank you for the next ten years of friendship. And 20 beyond that. With that being said, cheers everybody. Thanks for coming out tonight."

Meanwhile, in her podcast, Bunnie Xo revealed that the divorce decision hadn't impacted the former couple's plan to have a baby together. “You guys are going to be shocked, but we’re still having a baby. We’re still having a baby together,” she said, adding that the pair would plan to co-parent.

"I'm so excited to live my life through a child's eyes, which is why this baby journey, I'm not going to let it break me, and I'm not going to deter it. And J has been so f***ing great about us still having a baby together and he wants the same thing."