Jelly Roll Reveals Emotional Struggle Reading Wife's Candid Memoir
Country music sensation Jelly Roll has publicly shared his profound emotional response to reading his wife Alyssa 'Bunnie Xo' DeFord's newly released memoir, Stripped Down: Unfiltered and Unapologetic. The 41-year-old artist admitted to People magazine on Wednesday that delving into the raw details of his wife's past was an intensely challenging experience.
A Journey Through Pain and Resilience
Bunnie Xo's 304-page tell-all chronicles her tumultuous life journey, beginning as a homeless teenager before entering the world of casino call girl work and eventually becoming a high-class escort charging up to $5,000. The memoir details how her involvement in prostitution and drug addiction led to traumatic experiences including an abortion at age 16, sexual assault, and seven arrests between 1999 and 2006.
'It was rough at times just for me to read it,' Jelly Roll confessed. 'We went through a lot of pain and having to go through it together, but reading the whole book and seeing where it ended at is really touching.'
Unapologetic Honesty and Mutual Acceptance
The couple's relationship began in 2015 with remarkable transparency. During their first night together, Bunnie Xo was completely upfront about her profession as an escort, and Jelly Roll accepted her without judgment. This mutual acceptance became the foundation of their relationship, with Bunnie Xo even arranging client meetings during Jelly Roll's tour stops.
'Before the plane landed, I was fully booked,' the Las Vegas native wrote in her memoir, revealing she would sometimes rob her customers. She described this as 'the first relationship where my boyfriend didn't want to change me — and I didn't want to change him either.'
Continued Work and Marital Challenges
Despite marrying the three-time Grammy winner during a cocaine-fueled ceremony in 2016, Bunnie Xo continued working as a high-class escort until 2020 and maintained an OnlyFans presence until 2023. However, their marriage faced significant challenges when Jelly Roll engaged in a 10-month affair with an ex-girlfriend between 2017 and 2018, which led Bunnie Xo to contemplate suicide.
The couple has since committed to strict monogamy, with Jelly Roll explaining their motivation for sharing their story: 'Love will always do it. Communication, just believing you're with the right person and believing that change can actually happen.'
Parallel Journeys of Transformation
Both partners have experienced dramatic personal transformations. Jelly Roll himself has a troubled past, having been jailed 40 times starting at age 13 for offenses including marijuana possession, probation violations, and possession of crack cocaine with intent to resell. He credits the birth of his daughter Bailee Ann DeFord, now 17, with motivating him to change his life.
'I'm just proud of her for telling her story so unapologetically,' Jelly Roll said of his wife. 'She talks about everything fearlessly, from domestic assault to sexual assault. I'm just proud of her. She's so brave.'
Future Plans and Professional Commitments
The couple is now looking toward the future, having hired what they describe as 'the most unselfish, sweetest woman ever' to serve as a surrogate for their planned twins through IVF treatment. Meanwhile, both continue their professional pursuits.
Bunnie Xo is currently on a four-date book tour for Stripped Down, with her next appearance scheduled at the Performing Arts Center's James K. Polk Theater in Nashville this Sunday. Jelly Roll is preparing to headline the Mexican music festival La Cura Fest in Hermosillo on March 14 before launching The Big A** Stadium Tour with co-headliner Post Malone in April.
The artist is also nominated for three iHeartRadio Music Awards, including country song of the year, country artist of the year, and artist of the year, with the ceremony airing on Fox on March 26.
