Jelly Roll’s Wife Bunnie Xo Responds to Backlash Over His Grammy Award Acceptance Speech
- - Jelly Roll’s Wife Bunnie Xo Responds to Backlash Over His Grammy Award Acceptance Speech
Melinda LorgeFebruary 8, 2026 at 1:40 AM
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Jelly Roll’s wife, Bunnie Xo, is speaking out in his defence after he received online criticism for delivering a spiritual-leaning acceptance speech at the 2026 Grammy Awards. While accepting the award for Best Contemporary Country Album for Beautifully Broken on Feb. 1, the “Son of a Sinner” singer, 41, took to the podium and gave an emotional speech that reflected on his faith and his past struggles.
Here’s What He Said During His Grammy Award Speech
Holding up a small red Bible, he recalled a time when he was living in a six-by-eight-foot jail cell, telling the audience all he owned was “a Bible this big, a radio the same size.”
The Antioch, Tenn., native, who as a teen lived a pattern of being in and out of juvenile detention centers, then credited both music and God for changing his life, adding, “Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party or one label. Jesus is Jesus, and anybody can have a relationship with him.”
That speech quickly went viral, drawing criticism from some folks, and in response, Bunnie Xo has addressed the backlash, sharing a clip from her Dumb Blonde podcast on Instagram.
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“I’ve been seeing videos where people are saying my husband is a performative Christian,” she said. “In what world is it okay to question somebody’s walk with God?”
Bunnie Xo Backed up Her Reasons by Pointing Out Jelly Roll’s Former Speeches and Earlier Songs
Bunnie Xo, then, pointed out past award-show speeches that Jelly Roll has given, where he shared his spirituality with the audience — a nod that proved his consistency and authenticity as an artist. She also referenced her husband’s musical catalog, which includes deep cuts about his spirituality, such as “Writing All Alone,” “Roll Me Up,” “Rescue Me,” and others.
Bunnie Xo didn’t point out a particular negative comment over her husband’s latest awards show speech, but just one look at a resurfaced video on platforms like TikTok will show that some online users have, indeed, criticized his speech while others praised it.
“This act is so old,” one person commented in one TikTok clip of the speech, while another person added, “This was so off, and it made me very uncomfortable.”
Others meanwhile, wrote messages like, “Jesus is working through you, Jelly Roll” and “Chills.”
“My husband isn’t telling anyone what to do,” Bunnie Xo insisted. “He’s not asking for anything. He’s just saying, ‘Jesus is for everybody.’”
Bunnie Xo went on to accuse some critics of using Jelly Roll’s name for their own social media views, saying, “....The only reason why you’re questioning my husband’s faith is not because you genuinely care, it’s because you want to make money off his name and you want the views.”
Emphasizing that faith is not a new part of Jelly Roll’s life, Bunnie Xo noted that her famous husband was raised in a Methodist church. He has been open about his beliefs since making a personal transformation that includes weight loss, rebuilding relationships, and inspiring others through his musical successes.
Driving her message home, she said, “What people are watching is a man growing in his faith in front of everybody.”
Related: Jelly Roll Is Giving Away One of His Grammys for an Incredible Reason: ‘That’s What He Does’
This story was originally published by Parade on Feb 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Celebs section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
