The 59th Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony is coming to Frisco, Texas Thursday (May 16), and you know what that means — more fiery acceptance speeches from Jelly Roll. The rapper turned country star is up for four awards, including Entertainer of the Year. But Jelly Roll fans have even more reason to get excited, as the “Need a Favor” singer is debuting a new song during the ceremony.
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New Jelly Roll Coming at ACM Awards
Whitsitt Chapel debuted in June 2023, introducing Jelly Roll to a mainstream country fanbase and changing his life. The album charted in the top 10 of multiple genres and earned the artist a GRAMMY nomination for Best New Artist.
The 39-year-old Tennessee native (born Jason DeFord) is grateful for everything Whitsitt Chapel brought him. However, Jelly Roll is ready to kick off a new era of music. And he will do just that during his ACM Awards performance Thursday (May 16.)
It has become a bit of a tradition for Jelly Roll to debut new material during the ACM Awards. Last year, the he performed “Save Me,” his haunting duet with Lainey Wilson, live for the first time. The chart-topping record eventually reached triple platinum.
“I mean, it’s huge. [It] changed my life in every way,” Jelly told Country Now. “It was a big part of the Whitsitt Chapel era of that album and then we kind of get to debut another new song here. So it’s cool. It feels like it’s turning into, I hope, a cycle. Maybe I debut a song every ACM.”
Jelly Goes Back to School
Even casual listeners know Jelly Roll’s life wasn’t always trophies and red carpets. The “Halfway to Hell” singer found himself on the wrong side of the law a few times in his youth. Recently, Jelly celebrated another growth milestone when he returned to his alma mater, Antioch High School — years after he was told he would “never be allowed back”
Podcaster Bunnie Xo posted a video to TikTok Monday (May 13) of her husband receiving a warm welcome from teachers, students and staff.
“The love and giving back that they showed my husband was the sweetest thing ever to watch,” Bunnie Xo wrote.
Featured image by Amy Sussman/Getty Images for Stagecoach
