What Bunnie Xo Said About Having Kids With Jelly Roll Before Breakup

Motherhood had Bunnie Xo smiling so much.

Just three months before Jelly Roll filed for divorce, his wife – who hosts the Dumb Blonde podcast – shared that they were trying to have a baby through both surrogacy and IVF.

This will be a challenging process,” Alisa DeFord, known as Bunnie, shared with TopMob News back in February. “I’ve been pretty private about it because of how things are these days.”

You know, I’ve been hinting at something big lately, little by little. I’m so excited to finally share what we’ve been working on and the story behind it all, but it’s going to take a bit longer before I feel ready to fully open up about everything. Trust me, it will be worth the wait!

The 46-year-old announced she and Jelly are expecting a baby, but she feels prepared for parenthood thanks to her experience as a stepmom to Bailee, 17, and Noah, 9 – the children of Jelly’s ex-wives.

As someone who’s raised my daughter, Bailee, I’ve really discovered my own strength. It doesn’t matter that I didn’t give birth to her – she is my child, and watching her thrive has been incredible. She’s about to start college with a perfect 4.0 GPA, and honestly, seeing her succeed gave me the confidence to believe in myself and tackle anything life throws my way. It proved to me that, yes, I absolutely can do this!

She discussed it with Jelly, who filed for divorce on May 18th, as revealed in court records obtained by TopMob News on June 15th.

Bunnie remembers one day asking her husband if he’d ever considered having a baby. He surprisingly responded that he’d like to have two, explaining he didn’t want a single child to grow up feeling lonely or isolated.

With Bailee not growing up surrounded by siblings, they emphasized the importance of those bonds.

She added that Bailee really needs a close companion. They’ve basically raised Bailee without siblings, and she struggled to make friends and spend time away from screens when she was younger.

Bunnie was excited to start a family with Jelly and see what being a mother would be like.

As a lifestyle expert, I often talk about the joys of parenthood, and it’s something deeply personal for me. I haven’t experienced motherhood in the traditional sense, except through my relationship with my daughter, Bailee. Neither my husband nor I ever got to experience those early baby stages – he wasn’t present for those moments with his other children, and I haven’t had the chance to be a mother from the very beginning. We both missed out on a lot of those precious first moments, and it’s definitely shaped how we view family.

As for what she envisioned when welcoming a child?

Bunnie explained that she and her husband were more like children themselves when they welcomed their daughter, Bailey, because they were both in the process of getting sober and were personally growing and changing alongside her. They matured with Bailey.

She finished by saying their next children will be like little versions of themselves. They’re looking forward to experiencing their own childhoods again through these kids, and they’re really excited about it.

We’ve contacted Bunnie and Jelly for a statement about the divorce, but haven’t received one yet.

Oh my gosh, you guys, Jelly and Bunnie are back for another season! I’m absolutely dying to know what happens with them – seriously, their connection is everything to me. Keep scrolling if you want all the juicy details on where their relationship goes from here… I’ll be glued to every update!

Oh my gosh, their story is just… everything! It all started in Vegas, can you believe it? I’ve listened to Bunnie tell it a million times. She met Jelly back in August 2015 at this tiny show at the Las Vegas Country Saloon – he wasn’t famous at all then, seriously, he was living in a van and said there were only about 20 people there! But even then, there was just this instant connection. She says it sounds cliché, but she literally felt like she’d known him forever. It’s so cute because she says he’s totally not her type, and she’s not his – he’s all about Taylor Swift!

But it wasn’t instant, you know? She was stuck in a bad relationship, and he was doing his own thing. They reconnected in October 2015, and she was just completely smitten. Then, after her ex went to prison, she finally had the courage to tell a friend to give Jelly her number. He started calling her for advice about his daughter, Bailee, which was so sweet.

But things didn’t turn romantic until July 2016 when he came back to Vegas to film some videos. She says they were totally wasted, and she was trying to… well, you know, and he just stopped her and asked about her five-year plan! Can you imagine? It’s hilarious! He said ‘OK, cool. Let’s do it.’ And the rest is history! It’s just the most amazing, unexpected love story ever.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll followed through on their initial plans as a couple. They married in Las Vegas in August 2016, just a month after meeting, and completed a five-year plan they’d made together, culminating in buying a house.

Bunnie also had her own ambitions, including starting a podcast. Jelly Roll explained on The Howard Stern Show that when Bunnie decided to leave the sex work industry in 2019, he asked her what she was passionate about, and she expressed interest in hosting a talk show. She then launched the Dumb Blonde podcast later that same year.

Bunnie financially supported Jelly Roll’s career as well. On Sofia Franklyn’s podcast, Sofia with an F, she revealed she invested in his 2017 album, Addiction Kills, and helped him gain custody of his daughter.

Jelly Roll’s daughter, Bailee, was born in 2008 while he was in prison for drug dealing. He credits Bailee with saving his life, even though she was very young at the time. Bailee remembers her father entering her life around age two, when he was starting his music career and living in a van. Although Jelly Roll admits he wasn’t very present as a father initially, he fought for full custody of Bailee when her mother struggled with addiction.

Interestingly, it was Jelly Roll’s then-girlfriend, Bunnie, who funded the legal battle to gain custody. This prompted both of them to re-examine their own lifestyles. Bunnie realized they couldn’t provide a stable home for Bailee while still battling their own addictions, and she made the decision to get sober.

Bunnie also embraced a maternal role, and in 2024, for Bailee’s sixteenth birthday, she thanked Jelly Roll for allowing her to be the mother she never had, and Bailee for the healing lessons she’d learned over the past eight years.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie welcomed their son, Noah, around the time they were getting married and Jelly Roll was seeking custody of his daughter, Bailee, in August 2016. He shared his hopes for Noah on Facebook, writing that he prayed his children wouldn’t have to suffer for his past mistakes.

Over the years, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have generally kept Noah’s life private, only occasionally sharing small updates. In July 2023, Bunnie posted a TikTok video of her asking Noah about his favorite things, like soccer and playing at the beach, but emphasized she had gotten permission from Noah’s mother first.

Bunnie and Jelly Roll have a good relationship with Noah’s mother, with Bunnie describing her as a wonderful person they couldn’t imagine their lives without, especially because she helps care for Noah while they’re touring. Bunnie also loves being Noah’s stepmother, expressing how much joy she gets from watching him grow up and feeling privileged to be a part of his life since he was born.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie separated in 2018, two years after getting married. Jelly Roll later admitted to infidelity as the cause of the split, calling it a low point in his life. Despite the difficulty, they worked to repair their relationship and reconciled later that year. He said the process made them stronger than ever, and while he wishes the affair hadn’t happened, he’s proud of the couple they’ve become. Bunnie shared on TikTok that their breakup and subsequent reconnection—with her traveling to bring him back from Vegas—led them on an incredible journey. They reaffirmed their commitment to each other, building a stronger foundation after overcoming a difficult time.

As Jelly Roll became more famous, he and his wife, Bunnie, made their red carpet debut as a couple at the 2022 CMA Awards. In the documentary Jelly Roll: Save Me, Bunnie described them as “the Addams Family of country music—we don’t really fit in, but here we are.”

Jelly Roll and Bunnie celebrated their love by renewing their vows in 2023, seven years after their original wedding. Bunnie fondly remembered their first ceremony, recalling how Jelly Roll reassured her that things would get better and they would overcome challenges together – a promise he kept.

She described the last seven years as a challenging but rewarding journey, filled with growth and overcoming past traumas to build a loving home for Bailee, their daughter. They’ve faced everything hand-in-hand, always supporting each other.

Bunnie lovingly shared that Jelly Roll is her soulmate, safe haven, and best friend – the most incredible man she knows.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie continue to have a loving relationship. In fact, Bunnie has been the inspiration behind some of his songs, like “Woman” and “Kill a Man.”

Speaking with Entertainment Tonight about “Kill a Man,” Jelly Roll said Bunnie is “the best,” and that he’d tried writing countless love songs but found them all cheesy. He wanted to express how deeply in love he is while still feeling like himself.

He explained he doesn’t have eyes for anyone else and wanted the song to reflect his vulnerability.

Beyond their personal life, Jelly Roll and Bunnie have also appeared together in music videos for songs like “Wheels Fall Off” and “Lonely Road,” which featured Machine Gun Kelly and Megan Fox.

Bunnie is Jelly Roll’s biggest supporter, always cheering him on whether she’s in the audience or watching from home. She celebrated his 2024 CMT Music Awards nomination by sharing how proud she is of his twenty-year journey, recalling times they wondered if anyone was listening to his music, to now playing for packed arenas. She admires his songwriting, describing his music as healing and deeply relatable, offering comfort to those who feel broken.

Their strong relationship resonates with fans. Bunnie lovingly calls Jelly Roll ‘Papabear’ and says his voice has the power to heal, with the world singing along.

Jelly Roll is equally supportive of Bunnie, praising her success with social media and her podcast, and expressing how much joy he feels seeing her inspire others, especially women, on their eighth anniversary.

Bunnie Xo is fiercely protective of her husband, Jelly Roll, and won’t tolerate negativity directed at him. She recently spoke out about the hurtful comments he received online regarding his weight before losing over 200 pounds, explaining that he was deeply affected and eventually stopped going online due to the bullying. While Jelly Roll doesn’t always show his pain, Bunnie says it takes a toll on him. She strongly refuted the idea that celebrities should simply ‘handle’ online criticism, emphasizing that it’s never okay to bully someone, as you don’t know what they’re going through mentally. Bunnie vowed to defend those who are targeted and won’t allow lies or bullying towards her family. Jelly Roll has also been open about his health struggles, recently revealing he was facing low testosterone and other issues, and felt he was nearing a breaking point.

Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie, have been publicly sharing their journey to expand their family. After Jelly Roll mentioned they were considering having a baby, Bunnie explained they’ve been undergoing IVF treatments. She shared on Instagram in June 2024 that they decided to be open about the process because of their honest approach to life, and admitted it’s been difficult despite being early in the process. They are also exploring surrogacy as an option, as Bunnie explained on her podcast, Dumb Blonde, in March 2025, due to risks associated with her carrying a child herself. While the process has been challenging, Bunnie expressed on her November 2025 podcast that they’re trusting in what’s meant to be, and are open to adoption if needed. They initially hadn’t planned to have more children, but changed their minds this year and are excited about the possibility of adding to their family, which already includes Bailee and Noah.

Okay, so this is tough to share, but it looks like Jelly Roll and Bunnie are heading for divorce. Court records in Tennessee show the paperwork was filed in May of 2026. It’s always sad to see couples separate, and it’s interesting – and a little heartbreaking – to see how things played out publicly. Just before the news came out, Bunnie actually posted a photo of herself on Instagram with a message about ‘getting her sparkle back,’ which definitely hinted at some big changes happening in her life. It’s a reminder that even when things look good from the outside, people are often going through personal struggles.

Read More

2026-06-16 16:49