Jelly Roll expresses admiration for his 16-year-old daughter’s intelligence and maturity.
In a revealing chat, the country music sensation discussed his heartfelt connection with his daughter, Bailee, emphasizing how she surpasses him in both wisdom and emotional insight at her age.
Jelly Roll recently recounted a candid exchange with Bailee, sharing with People magazine, “[I said], ‘I don’t judge you based on what you do. I judge you based on what I know you’re capable of. You’re so much smarter than I was at 16. You’re so much better, so much more emotionally intelligent. You can read a room so much better. So don’t try to talk your way out of getting in trouble, Miss Sassy, by weaponizing my past.’” This acknowledgment highlights a remarkable shift in parenting dynamics; he recognizes her growth while reflecting on his own troubled past.
The musician stated that, at 16, Bailee’s understanding of life is “totally ahead” of where he found himself at the same age. “When I consider what she does that I view negatively, I can’t help but think back to my own behavior at that age,” he admitted. “When I press her on issues, she knows it comes from a place of love.”
Pushing through his own struggles, the “Save Me” artist hasn’t shied away from discussing his past challenges, including legal issues and addiction. In a 2023 conversation with Billboard, Jelly Roll—a.k.a. Jason Bradley DeFord—reflects on his teen years marred by a significant arrest. Charged as an adult for serious crimes, he served time and went through the rigors of probation, all part of a transformative journey.
Jelly Roll openly stated, “I never want to overlook the fact that it was a heinous crime.” He remarked, “This is a grown man looking back at a 16-year-old kid who made the worst possible choices. People could have been hurt, and by the grace of God, thankfully, nobody was.” This narrative of redemption intertwines with his parenting experience, signaling a hope that Bailee can navigate her own path with clearer vision.
Since 2017, Jelly Roll and his wife Bunnie Xo have embraced the responsibility of raising both Bailee and their 8-year-old son, Noah. Bailee, he affectionately declares, is “a really hammered down kid,” thriving in a familiar environment. “She’s been in the same public school district for a decade, surrounded by the same friends. That stability has been beneficial,” he noted.
Reflecting on pivotal moments, Jelly Roll traced his desire for change back to Bailee’s birth, a transformative event that jolted him from a dark place. “When she arrived, I was sitting in a jail cell with little more than $17 worth of snacks,” he recounted during a segment on “Sunday TODAY with Willie Geist.” The contrast between his life then and his responsibilities as a father loomed large. “I was the lowest of the low, a person steeped in bad choices. I knew I had to turn my life around.”
Earlier this year, he elaborated on this life-altering moment in an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Describing his journey through juvenile incarceration due to reckless actions, he reflected on how becoming a father shifted his perspective entirely. “It was almost like a road-to-Damascus experience for me,” he shared, capturing the essence of his transformation.
The day he learned of Bailee’s birth was profoundly emotional. “I was incarcerated when they told me she was born, and I just cried. It broke me in a beautiful way,” he laughed, now unable to contain his emotions even at the most mundane sights. “I spent years suppressing my feelings, and now something as simple as a squirrel has me in tears!
“I wouldn’t be the person I am today without all I’ve been through,” he expressed at the 2023 CMAs. “It empowered me and gave me a voice. I learned so much about resilience and the possibility of change.” He shared that his past, filled with hardship and mistakes, has evolved into a beacon of hope in his music, aiming to give back and support others on their journeys. The commitment to reaching back and uplifting others is now central to his identity.
