“A Woman Who is Fearless”: Jelly Roll Pays Tribute to His Wife Bunnie XO and Teases Heartfelt New Song, ‘Thorns’

Jelly Roll has surprised listeners with a brand new unreleased song snippet. The ‘Need a Favor’ singer-songwriter has shared a clip of the moving track, ‘Thorns’, as part of a heartfelt new social media post paying tribute to his wife, Bunnie XO.

In the caption, the Nashville native underlines his appreciation for Bunnie as he wishes her a happy birthday, “Today we celebrate you, baby... A woman who spends her entire life celebrating everyone else. A woman who spends her every day encouraging and inspiring... A woman who stands up for and speaks for what’s right, even when it’s unpopular... A woman who is fearless... A woman who is bold”.

Jelly goes on, “Today we celebrate a woman that lifts other women up.
It is said that we overcome by the blood of the lamb and the power of our testimony. I am so glad to see this woman share her testimony with the world. Meeting this woman was arguably the most life-changing moment I ever had. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me and our little family, you truly are the rock of this household-you are the single human that turns this house into a home”, before concluding with an endearing sign-off, “I love you endlessly, HAPPY BIRTHDAY”.

Jelly and Bunnie, who met in 2015 and got married the following year, have always been open with fans about the challenges they've had to overcome in their relationship, whether it was the tough battle to get custody of Jelly's daughter, Bailee Ann, or Jelly's infidelity, which he reflected on in a candid 2025 interview.

Through it all, their relationship has stood strong. After what they described as a difficult period last year, Bailee surprised Jelly and Bunnie with a prom night for Jelly's birthday, due to neither of them getting to experience their own prom celebration at school.

The accompanying song that plays in the background of Jelly's new video, which finds the couple embracing one another at the end of a bed, appears to be titled ‘Thorns’. The track features an evocative set of vocals from Jelly, as he uses a range of vibrant imagery to describe how Bunnie gives him a sense of balance and purpose. He admits his own flaws, before praising his wife for how she is a beacon of light - and the rose to his thorns - throughout all of his darker moments.

Across an intimate, guitar-driven instrumental, the ’Son of a Sinner’ hitmaker muses, “Every thorn has its rose / Every rough has a diamond / Every cloud I've ever know / Had the sun sunk right behind it / Every lost has a found / Look at me, girl, standing next to you right now / Thought I'd always be alone / But every thorn has its rose”.

We're hoping this song is a sneak preview at Jelly's eagerly anticipated new album, with the genre-blending trailblazer having teased that he's been working on his next body of work. During a conversation with the Human School podcast, Jelly revealed that he was considering building his next record around a key concept.

Given how open the country titan has been in recent months about his walk with faith, as well as the sense of freedom and joy he has found through his fitness journey, we suspect Jelly might be preparing a batch of gospel-leaning songs, perhaps drawing inspiration from his hit Brandon Lake collaboration, ‘Hard Fought Hallelujah’.

Either way, following the immense success and critical acclaim of Jelly's previous album, Beautifully Broken, which is nominated for a 2026 Grammy, we're sure the ‘Save Me’ crooner has something special up his sleeve as he readies his follow-up...

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