How Jelly Roll, Bunnie Xo Marked Full-Circle Moment After Nearly A Decade

Jelly Roll and his wife, Bunnie Xo, returned to the bar where they “first got together” nearly a decade ago to celebrate the Whitsitt Chapel star’s 2024 iHeartRadio Music Award victories on Monday night (April 1). Jelly Roll won Best New Artist award in both Pop and Country categories.

Bunnie shared a celebratory video on TikTok following the 12th annual awards show, dancing and singing along to Bob Seger’s classic 70s anthem, “Old Time Rock & Roll.” Bunnie said, “we came to this bar in 2016 when we first got together & had nothing but a dream. Tonite we came back to celebrate my baby being iHeartRadio’s best POP & COUNTRY artist of the year.” She added in her caption, “We BROUGHT TWO HOME BABIES!! 😭 THANK YOU IHEART!”

Jelly Roll and Bunnie met in 2015, and he proposed to her the following year. They tied the knot in a spontaneous courthouse wedding in Las Vegas, Nevada, where they returned to renew their vows last year. Jelly Roll wrote in a birthday tribute to Bunnie in January, in part, that he “watched this woman grow over the last 8 years in ways I can’t even describe. She is my anchor in every area of my life. She brings a (sense) of peace to every room she walks in. She makes people feel safe. She creates a safe place for people to tell her how they feel. She is special in every way. To know where she came from and what she has made of herself is unbelievable.”

Jelly Roll delivered a powerful acceptance speech on the Dolby Theatre stage in Los Angeles, California, following a heartfelt rendition of “Save Me” with fellow award winner Lainey Wilson (Country Song of the Year, “Heart Like A Truck”). Jelly Roll triumphantly raised his award above his head in front of the cheering crowd as he celebrated his double win on Monday night.

“My mama always told me I had a face for radio, baby!” Jelly Roll exclaimed into the mic. The Nashville, Tennessee-born artist reflected on moments he’d drive around town with his older siblings singing along to the radio. “I never would’ve dreamed I would be one of the voices coming through your radio, and to be the Best New Country Artist and represent country music, and the Best New Pop Artist, you don’t know what this means to a kid like me. I was thinking about it: what does it mean when a guy like me has the opportunity to be the new pop artist of the year at [the iHeartRadio Music Awards]. It means that God will always use the least likely messenger with the biggest message every single time. You could take it to the bank, baby! I love you, Jesus, and I love you, Bunnie, my wife, thank you for everything. Bailee Ann, my daughter at home, if you’re watching, I’m coming home, baby! …We did it again!”

If you missed any of the iconic moments from this year’s iHeartRadio Music Awards, or just want to relive them all, the show will be available to stream on Hulu the next day for 21 days.