Jelly Roll files for divorce after decade marriage

Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, filed for divorce from his podcaster wife Bunnie XO, real name Alisa DeFord, on May 18, court records reviewed on Monday, June 15 show. The split follows years of public candor about their relationship—brief separat

Jelly Roll’s marriage to Bunnie XO is now heading toward divorce, with a filing dated May 18 that crystallizes a storyline the couple has spent years discussing in public—ups, breakpoints, apologies, and attempts to rebuild.

Jelly Roll. 41 and whose real name is Jason DeFord. filed for divorce from his podcaster wife. 46-year-old Bunnie XO—real name Alisa DeFord—on May 18. according to court records reviewed on Monday. June 15. The couple has not publicly commented on their split yet. and the outlet reached out to Jelly Roll and Bunnie’s reps for comment.

The timing lands after a decade of a relationship the two described with unusual openness, including family planning and infidelity, as well as questions fans raised about whether the marriage ever operated outside traditional boundaries.

Their timeline begins in 2015. when Jelly Roll first met Bunnie while he was attending one of his own concerts at Las Vegas’ Country Saloon. During a guest appearance on the “King and the Sting and the Wing Clips” podcast. he said she was in a relationship at the time. Despite that. the pair stayed in touch through mutual friends. and once Bunnie became single not long after. their friendship turned into romance.

In 2016, they married in a spontaneous courthouse wedding the evening after he proposed onstage. Earlier this year. in January. Jelly Roll marked ten years by posting photos of the couple on Instagram with the caption: “2016 was a dream. And we’re still living it. 10 years with my beautiful wife, the one and only Mrs. Bunnie Xo.”.

They also experienced strain before they fully settled into their next chapter. In 2018, Bunnie revealed on TikTok in 2024 that they had briefly split in 2018. “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 shared in a TikTok video.

By September 2023, the relationship was publicly framed as something they chose to renew. Jelly Roll and Bunnie renewed their vows at the same chapel where they had wed in Las Vegas. Jelly Roll posted a video of the vow renewal on Instagram with the caption: “7 years ago my wife and stumbled into a little chapel in Las Vegas. 7 years later we walked into that same little chapel and renewed our vows.” He added that his only regret on the night they wed was that he “never got to see her in a dress. ” but that the vow renewal helped them “make that right.” In his post. he wrote: “I may have never gave my wife the wedding she truly deserved but I plan on giving her the life she deserves for the rest of it. ” and added. “I love you more anything mama bear. You are my anchor.”.

Still, the public record later included a sharper note about marriage damage. In October 2025. Jelly Roll admitted to cheating on his spouse. describing the incident as “one of the worst moments of my adulthood.” On an episode of the “Human School” podcast. he said: “I wish our story would’ve went in the way that it never had an affair. and I’m in a way glad it happened. but man. I’m proud of who we are today. ” and added. “I truly am.” He did not share specifics about the affair or its timeline. but he said his actions were influenced by the company he kept.

Their volatility, and how they communicated through it, also surfaced when questions swirled about the nature of their relationship. In June 2025, Bunnie cleared up rumors that she and Jelly Roll were in an open marriage. She said that years ago. they had embraced a dynamic similar to an open relationship—mostly focused on not controlling each other—but that arrangement had since ended. She also said she couldn’t understand why fans weren’t “grasping that the two were in an exclusive relationship.” In her words: “We have completely stopped all of those shenanigans because you can’t trust anybody in the world. ” and she added. “Back in the day. that was how we looked at our relationship.”.

At the height of that public push-and-pull. Jelly Roll’s career milestone came with an emotional pivot back to the marriage. After winning the Grammy for best contemporary country album. he got emotional on the podium and dedicated the award to his wife. The moment included Bunnie weeping and applauding in the audience. He said: “I would never have changed my life without you. I’d have ended up dead or in jail. ” and continued. “I would have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus.”.

Taken together, the facts don’t form one tidy arc. They show a couple who repeatedly returned to the language of choice—choosing romance after an early connection. choosing vows again in September 2023. and choosing exclusivity after years of fan speculation—while still acknowledging moments that tested trust. including a brief split in 2018 and Jelly Roll’s admission in October 2025.

Now, the divorce filing dated May 18 places that long-running, public attempt at resilience into a new and more uncertain phase. For readers who followed the details—marriage dates. candid admissions. vow renewal captions. podcast statements. and fan rumors—the change from public reconstruction to court filings is the part that turns the story sharply. The couple hasn’t commented yet. but the record shows that everything they described as “living it” now sits under legal scrutiny.

Jelly Roll Bunnie XO Alisa DeFord Jason DeFord divorce filing May 18 court records Grammy vow renewal cheating admission open relationship rumors Human School podcast