Jelly Roll Opens Up About the Day He Found Out He Was a Dad — While Sitting in Prison (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Jelly Roll, Bunnie XO and their daughter Bailee Ann.Photo:Jelly Roll/Instagram

Jelly Roll/Instagram

Jelly Rollis opening up about how much his firstborn means to him.

The country music singer, 39, chatted with PEOPLE exclusively about becoming a Grammy nominee and discussed his relationship with his 15-year-old daughter Bailee Ann, who was born when he was in prison. Jelly Roll, who is now married toBunnie XO, is also dad to son Noah Buddy, 7, from another relationship.

“Man, the single most impactful event of my entire life was having my daughter,” he tells PEOPLE. “It changed everything.”

“Being a father is so important to me, and just being as present as I can for her. I compare it to the Christian scripture of when Saul turned into Paul on the Damascus Road. It was kind of that moment for me.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Bunnie XO and Noah Buddy.Bunnie XO/TikTok

Bunnie XO/TikTok

The country music singer has repeatedly said how the birth of his daughter in 2008 forever changed his life for the better. On the day Bailee was born, Jelly Roll was serving a prison sentence.

Asked about the tattoos on his head, Jelly Roll reveals that he has his daughter’s name tattooed on the side of his head and his son’s name tattooed on the side of his face.

“She picks on me about it all the time. Now she makes fun of me,” Jelly Roll says. “She’s like, ‘How did my brother get your face and I got the side of the head?’ "

“I used to rock the undercut, and if I shave the side of my head, you see it. It’s huge. I mean, it takes the whole side of my head up.”

Jelly Roll at iHeart Radio’s Jingle Ball 2023.Theo Wargo/Getty

Theo Wargo/Getty

He continues, saying he recently visited his daughter’s school after they went to the state championship.

“I was like, ‘Dude, all I’ve heard since I was here was how incredibly young I look and they can’t believe I’m your dad,’ " he tells PEOPLE. “She said … she didn’t skip a beat. I’m not sh—— you. She said, ‘That’s funny, because all I heard was how you look too old to make the music you make.’ I was like, ‘Oh.’ "

“She knows the story. She knows how real it is. I’m just proud of her,” he toldEntertainment Tonight. “I love you, Bailee Ann, so much. I thought about it the moment I walked off stage. You’ve changed my life in so many ways. But it’s just unreal. This is bigger than just a single award for us. We came from nothing.”

For more from Jelly Roll, pick up the latest issue ofPEOPLE, on newsstands now.

source: people.com