Country music sensation Jelly Roll has ignited a fierce debate following his overtly religious acceptance speech at the 2026 Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. The 41-year-old artist, whose real name is Jason DeFord, took to the stage after winning the award for Best Contemporary Country Album for his 2024 record Beautifully Broken.
Emotional Speech Divides Audience
During his emotional address, Jelly Roll spent considerable time discussing his Christian faith and how it transformed his life alongside music. The singer held up a small Bible for the audience to see while declaring, "I believe that music had the power to change my life, and God had the power to change my life."
He continued with a message of inclusivity, stating, "I want to tell y'all right now: Jesus is for everybody, Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by no ... label. Jesus is Jesus." This declaration came after he beat out notable competitors including Miranda Lambert, Tyler Childers, Eric Church, and Kelsea Ballerini for the prestigious country music honour.
Social Media Backlash Emerges
While many viewers found Jelly Roll's words moving and inspirational, a significant backlash quickly developed on social media platforms. Critics accused the singer of exhibiting what they termed "religious psychosis" and questioned the sincerity of his spiritual declarations.
Several commentators on platform X (formerly Twitter) made pointed remarks about the singer's recent dramatic weight loss, having shed nearly 300 pounds over recent years. One user wrote, "That GLP-1 really fast-tracked the religious psychosis for Jelly Roll, huh," while another added, "Jelly Roll being like scary skinny suddenly, girl, what happened. Now the face tattoos and Jesus talk seem even more menacing."
Personal Transformation Acknowledged
Elsewhere in his acceptance speech, Jelly Roll gave an emotional tribute to his wife Bunnie Xo, crediting her with helping him turn his life around. The singer has been open about his past struggles with substance abuse and incarceration for offences including aggravated robbery and drug possession.
"I would have never changed my life without you," he told his wife from the stage. "I would've ended up dead or in jail. I would've killed myself if it weren't for you and Jesus." He elaborated on his personal journey, explaining, "There was a time in my life that I was broken. That's why I wrote this album. I didn't think I had a chance."
Additional Grammy Recognition
Beyond his country music victory, Jelly Roll also secured the Grammy for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for his collaboration with fellow country artist Shaboozey titled Amen. The dual recognition highlights the artist's crossover appeal between mainstream country and contemporary Christian music genres.
The 68th annual Grammy ceremony, broadcast live from Los Angeles's Crypto.com Arena on CBS and Paramount+, featured numerous notable moments beyond Jelly Roll's controversial speech. Comedian Trevor Noah returned as host for the sixth consecutive year, while nominations were led by Kendrick Lamar with nine nods.
Recording Academy Introduces Changes
This year's ceremony saw the Recording Academy introduce two new categories: Best Traditional Country Album and Best Album Cover. The country music division now formally separates "contemporary" and "traditional" styles, a change implemented following Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter sweep at the 2025 Grammys.
Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. explained the rationale behind these adjustments, stating, "The Academy's top priority is to represent the music people that we serve each year. That entails listening carefully to our members to make sure our rules and guidelines reflect today's music."
Eligibility for the 2026 awards required commercial release in the United States between August 31, 2024, and August 30, 2025, with final voting taking place from December 12, 2025, to January 5, 2026.
Broader Ceremony Highlights
The star-studded event featured performances by numerous A-list artists including:
- Lady Gaga
- Justin Bieber
- K-pop sensation Rosé
- Sabrina Carpenter
Album of the Year honours went to Bad Bunny for DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS, while Olivia Dean received the Best New Artist award. Producer of the Year recognition went to Cirkut, and Amy Allen secured Songwriter of the Year honours.
Jelly Roll's speech has undoubtedly become one of the most discussed moments from this year's ceremony, sparking conversations about the intersection of faith, music, and public perception in contemporary entertainment culture.
