Jelly Roll Stuns at ACM Awards After Losing Nearly 200 Pounds: “I Feel Incredible”

Jelly Roll didn’t just show up at the ACM Awards—he owned the night.

The 40-year-old singer walked the red carpet in Texas alongside his wife, Bunnie Xo. But it wasn’t just his outfit turning heads. Fans were shocked to see his dramatic transformation. Jelly Roll has dropped nearly 200 pounds since starting his health journey in early 2023.

And he looked like a whole new man.

Wearing an all-black ensemble topped with a lace-embroidered jacket, Jelly Roll smiled for cameras and looked more confident than ever. When asked how he felt about the change, he didn’t hold back.

“It’s unreal. I feel incredible,” he told Entertainment Tonight. “I feel like I’ve lost as much weight as I look like I’ve lost.”

All eyes on Bunnie too

Even though Jelly Roll’s transformation was in the spotlight, he made sure his wife got her moment.

“My wife’s here. She’s by far the best dressed on the carpet,” he said proudly. “I think we can all agree on that now that she’s arrived.”

Bunnie Xo wowed in a black lace gown with bold cut-outs and a thigh-high slit. The two weren’t shy with the PDA either—kisses, hugs, and smiles made them one of the cutest couples of the night.

The weight loss journey

Jelly Roll—real name Jason DeFord—has been completely focused on his health since February 2023. At one point, he weighed over 500 pounds. Now, he’s doing things he never thought possible.

Like hiking mountains.

“I hiked a mountain the other day. Camelback,” he told E! News, talking about the popular trail in Arizona. “There is no way that would have been possible beforehand.”

That one moment showed him how far he’s come. And he’s not done yet.

What keeps him going

Motivation doesn’t come easy, even for Jelly Roll.

“It isn’t always the case where I feel focused or positive,” he admitted. But the stories from fans push him forward. “The people I’ve met along the way… people who tell me their sobriety dates, their struggles, or about someone they lost.”

Those stories keep him grounded. They remind him why he’s doing this.

A bold dream for 2026

Back in December 2024, Jelly Roll opened up during an episode of his wife’s podcast Dumb Blonde. He revealed a goal he’d never shared publicly before.

“I wanna be on the cover of Men’s Health by March of 2026,” he said. “That’s my new goal. I want to have one of the biggest transformations.”

Saying that out loud was a huge step for him.

“I did this publicly for a reason,” he explained. “I wanna be honest about my struggles with it.”

Owning the journey

He knows this path isn’t easy. And he knows what it’s like to be ashamed of your body.

“I think that people that become as big as I became, when they lose the weight, they’re kind of ashamed,” he shared.

“They go hide and lose the weight, and then come back out. They don’t really know how to interact with the world looking different or feeling different.”

That’s not what Jelly Roll wants. He’s choosing to walk this road out loud. To be real about the highs and lows.

Because if his story helps even one person feel seen or inspired, it’s all worth it.