Country music star Jelly Roll believes ‘God had a bigger purpose’ for him

Jelly Roll took home three awards Sunday night at the 2024 CMT Music Awards

In an interview with Fox News Digital ahead of the 2024 CMT Music Awards, Jelly Roll explained his faith in God has been his “driving force.”

“Faith was a lot of me believing it was going to work out for me,” he said. “Could you imagine being a 37-year-old, unsuccessful musician when you told people that was your job?”

Jelly Toll spoke to Fox News Digital ahead of the 2024 CMT Music Awards about his relationship with God. (Getty Images)

Jelly Roll, who rose to prominence with his 2021 album, “Ballad of the Broken,” explained that he had been creating music for years before he got recognition. In 2003, he took a shot at creating hip-hop music with his first release, “The Plain Shmear Tape,” but eventually made his way to country and rock music.

“It wasn’t like something I did on the side. Like, it was my job. And I just always had faith that God had a bigger purpose for what I was trying to do,” Jelly Roll said.

The musician pointed out that his life is evidence “not everybody has to make a deal with the devil in this business.”

At the 2024 iHeartRadio awards earlier this month, Jelly Roll spoke about how God has influenced his career.

“What does it mean when a guy like me gets the opportunity to be the new pop artist of the year at [the] iHeartRadio awards? It means that God will always use the least likely messenger with the biggest message, every single time,” he said in his acceptance speech.

Jelly Roll believes he is a “living manifestation” of God’s work. (Getty Images)

In Jelly Roll’s interview with Fox News Digital, the country singer elaborated on being God’s “least likely messenger.”

“God never called the equipped. God always equipped the call,” he explained. “I think that I am a living manifestation of that.”

Jelly Roll, born Jason Bradley DeFord, admitted to still being “confused” about the recognition and praise he has gotten in recent years of his music career.

“I would think that people look at me, and they see a piece of me in then. And when I have a small victory, now they’re like, ‘That’s one for us.’

“Like, that’s for, like, all the losers — all the people that still kind of live between right and wrong. That’s our guy up there.”

Jelly Roll included a reference from the Bible when God called upon Noah to build an ark during the flood.

“I feel like God historically is always, you know, ‘Listen, Noah didn’t know anything about building a boat. He had no tradesmanship in building anything, and that’s who God picked to build an ark.”

Jelly Roll took home three trophies at the 2024 CMT Music Awards on Sunday. (Getty Images)

Jelly Roll dominated the 2024 CMT Music Awards and took home three trophies Sunday night. In addition to his career taking off, he has been vocal about the fentanyl epidemic and testified before Congress in January.

“I was part of the problem,” Jelly Roll told Congress, referencing his past as a drug dealer. “I am here now standing as a man that wants to be part of the solution.”

Jelly Roll testified about the fentanyl epidemic to members of Congress in January. (Fox News)

The musician had a tumultuous upbringing and was imprisoned before he had the chance to graduate high school. He served time when he was 14 and welcomed his first child, daughter Bailee, while still behind bars.

Jelly Roll has since gotten his life on track and has full custody of Bailee and raises her with his wife, Bunnie Xo. Bunnie, a former sex worker, and Jelly Roll tied the knot in 2016.

Bunnie Xo and Jelly Roll tied the knot in 2016. (Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Jelly Roll told Fox News Digital “being best friends” is the reason he and Bunnie have been able to maintain their marriage.

Another secret to their successful marriage is having no secrets at all.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie XO are “willing to have uncomfortable conversations constantly.” (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

“Communicating with each other. Being willing to have uncomfortable conversations constantly,” he explained. “People miss that in relationships. It’s a constant, uncomfortable conversation at times, but that’s just how you continue to build and grow.”