Jelly Roll - Jason Bradley DeFord BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, has been everywhere in recent days, and the headlines just keep coming. The most talked-about appearance was his viral meeting with Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican, which the “Need a Favor” singer himself commemorated on Instagram on September 12 with the caption From rock bottom to holy ground. He was invited to perform at the Grace for the World concert in St. Peter’s Square alongside stars like Pharrell Williams, John Legend, Jennifer Hudson, and Karol G, marking a surreal career milestone and a global stage rarely seen for a country artist according to AOL.
If you are keeping score at home, Jelly Roll has also taken ownership of his transformation, both physically and personally. On the December 16 episode of his wife Bunnie Xo’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast, he opened up about his dramatic weight loss journey—down nearly 140 pounds from his highest recorded weight of 550 pounds. Jelly is doing it naturally, not with Ozempic or similar medications, due to his fear of acid reflux damaging his vocal cords. He revealed he still struggles but is determined and publicly set a goal: he wants to be on the cover of Men’s Health by March 2026. The narrative of honesty, vulnerability, and body transformation is shaping up to be as much a part of his legacy as his music, a point underscored by People Magazine.
He is becoming a motivational figure but remains candid about his food addiction, comparing the patterns to his past struggles with substance abuse. Jelly Roll has chosen to lose the weight publicly, saying, I wanted to lose it in front of everybody. That authenticity is exactly what keeps people rooting for him. Us Weekly even featured a lighter moment as he joked about fitting into Louis Vuitton for the first time, asking fans to pray for his bank account.
On the business side, Jelly Roll is staying busy. He announced a world tour for 2025-2026 that kicks off in Australia and stretches through New Zealand, Mexico, and the United States, including key stops at Rod Laver Arena and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. The tour is supported by major brands, and ABC will air a special in December, signaling a new level of mainstream acceptance and industry respect according to TourSetlist.com.
Social media loves him, with fans engaging especially during his candid weight loss updates and the big Vatican moment. The “Son of a Sinner” singer keeps finding ways to connect, even telling Taste of Country Nights and Hello Magazine that he prefers friends and fans simply call him “Jelly,” showing his desire to bridge the celebrity gap and keep things personal.
From neighborly chats in his Nashville hometown to world stages, Jelly Roll’s past few days have been a whirlwind of transformation, headline-grabbing appearances, and major career moves—cementing him not just as a chart-topping artist but one of country music’s most compelling and relatable icons.
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