Jelly Roll Opens up About His Fame and How “God Had a Bigger Purpose” for Him

While some stars find the spotlight at a young age, Jelly Roll didn’t gain fame until much later in life. Although sharing a love for music and spending years trying to break into the industry, it wasn’t until his album Ballads of the Broken that he took off. And while the album released back in September 2021, the country star has since taken over the genre, winning numerous awards. Excited about his future, Jelly Roll recently discussed how “God had a bigger purpose” for him and how he used his faith to help push him forward. 

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Speaking with Fox News Digital before celebrating at the 2024 CMT Music Awards, Jelly Roll still seemed shocked about his fame. “Faith was a lot of me believing it was going to work out for me. Could you imagine being a 37-year-old, unsuccessful musician when you told people that was your job?” He continued, “It wasn’t like something I did on the side. Like, it was my job. And I just always had faith that God had a bigger purpose for what I was trying to do.” 

Jelly Roll Shares Why Fans Love Him So Much

Not shy about speaking on his faith, Jelly Roll explained how God influenced his career throughout the years. At the 2024 CMT Music Awards, he said, “What does it mean when a guy like me gets the opportunity to be the new pop artist of the year at [the] iHeartRadio awards? It means that God will always use the least likely messenger with the biggest message, every single time.” 

[RELATED: Jelly Roll’s Wife Bunnie Xo Got Star-Struck While Meeting Billy Bob Thornton at CMT Music Awards and “Almost Fainted”]

Insisting that “God never called the equipped. God always equipped the call”, Jelly Roll appeared to understand why his fame continues. According to the country singer, “I would think that people look at me, and they see a piece of me in them. And when I have a small victory, now they’re like, ‘That’s one for us.’ Like, that’s for, like, all the losers — all the people that still kind of live between right and wrong. That’s our guy up there.” 

While connecting with fans and pouring his heart into his music, Jelly Roll’s authenticity proved to be one of his top talents. Not afraid to talk about his shortcomings, the singer continues to dominate country music. 

(Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for CMT)

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