Jelly Roll Fans Shocked at Singer’s Dramatic Weight Loss

Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jelly Roll told his fans in a 2024 Instagram video that he would be unrecognizable in 2025—and he’s held to that promise.

The 40-year-old singer, who once weighed 540 pounds, is garnering attention and admiration from fans and fellow celebrities alike for his new slimmed-down physique.

“You look amazing,” wrote rapper Fat Joe on a photo posted by Jelly Roll to Instagram. A short-and-sweet quip from Ouija Macc appeared on another image, with the musician simply commenting, “SKINNYROLL.” Fans, too, have sung praises of the CMT-winning musician. “This guy is such an inspiration,” one fan wrote on a post from October 20.

Perhaps the most crucial support for the country star comes from his partner. If you scroll to the comments on many of his posts, you’re likely to find kind words from Bunnie Xo, Jelly Roll’s wife. “Stud,” she wrote on a video posted on October 21. Bunnie Xo’s other praise for her husband included commenting, “Daddy Roll is fine fine,” and calling him the “hunkiest hunk of them all.”

While the singer has yet to post recent stats on the progress of his weight-loss journey, he stated in April 2025 that he was down to 357 pounds—a 183-pound drop from his starting number. Jelly Roll has continued to shed weight since, with several media outlets estimating he has lost at least 200 pounds as of October 2025.

In a TikTok video posted Sept. 28, Bunnie Xo responded to fans’ comments praising her husband’s new “hotter” appearance. “He’s always had the same heart, he’s always had the same soul,” she wrote, adding, “You might miss out on the best love of your life by judging somebody by their weight.”

Bunnie Xo, who married the country singer in 2016 and is the stepmother of his two children, has been open about her own weight-loss journey. She detailed her experiences with microdosing Tirzepatide, a GLP-1 medication, on her show, The Dumb Blonde Podcast.

The “Save Me” singer, however, has chosen to embark on his weight-loss journey without GLP-1s, citing his fear of potential side effects. “A few things scare me more than acid reflux,” he said in an episode of his wife’s podcast, adding that it could “rip the vocal cords.”

The “Son of a Sinner” singer, whose legal name is Jason Bradley DeFord, has struggled with his size since childhood. He explained in an interview on The Bobby Bones Show that his stage name comes from a nickname given to him because of his weight. “I was a little chubby kid,” he recalled.

In another episode of The Dumb Blonde Podcast, Jelly Roll revealed that he wants to “be on the cover of Men’s Health by March of 2026.” If he achieves this goal, he’d be in good company: Numerous famously fit men have graced the cover of the magazine, including Jason Momoa, Michael B. Jordan, and Alan Ritchson.

The musician’s physical well-being isn’t the only aspect of his life that’s undergone a major transformation. In his documentary, Jelly Roll: Save Me, the singer revealed he was arrested over 40 times on drug-related charges and served periods of jail time for possession with intent to distribute and aggravated robbery. He has since become a vocal proponent of drug-policy change, even testifying before Congress in support of the Fentanyl Eradication and Narcotics Deterrence (FEND) Off Fentanyl Act.

In 2023, Jelly Roll spoke to People about changing his relationship with alcohol, including confronting his cocaine addiction. “I’ve never talked about this in interviews, but because I do drink and smoke weed, I will attend meetings occasionally,” he said, noting that he does not “claim to be part of the [Alcoholics Anonymous] program,” but respects its work and credits AA for helping him with his addiction issues. While he’ll still have a cocktail once in a while, he says he now just tries “to stay away from the drugs.”