Jelly Roll seems like a guy who follows his heart and is sincere about that. So when he said recently per People via the Associated Press that he kind of lets disparaging or critical comments from “the organized religions” run off his back, you know he means it. The “Need a Favor” singer, 41, candidly shared, “I really don’t care when the organized religions wave their finger at me. I’m just glad to see the message, the gospel getting presented.”
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What prompted that remark is the song that he is now Grammy-nominated for. The track “Hard Fought Hallelujah” is a collab between Jelly Roll and Christian music vocalist Brandon Lake. It’s in the running in 2026 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song.
He acknowledged, “I definitely live a little too secular to be releasing Christian music.” Jelly Roll then added, “God knows my heart.”
Jelly Roll Detects a Shift in How the Gospel Is Presented
The country music star said per the outlet via AP, “I think there really is a revival happening in America right now where people are being re-presented the gospel in a digestible way. And it doesn’t seem as finger waggy and ‘You’re all going to hell,’ you know?'”
That said, he genuinely credits religion with aiding him in turning his life around and getting to a better, healthier place. Jelly Roll has consistently been upfront about his earlier struggles with substance abuse and being incarcerated. He doesn’t just talk about changing himself, he actually did it. The singer often encourages others to do it. too.
“I’m a broken dude that came from a broken place and like Humpty Dumpty, they put me back together, baby.”
His Career Is Doing Great
Jelly Roll is one of the hottest arts in the country genre. He’s also up for two other Grammys. One nom is for his LPÂ Beautifully Broken, which is a contender in the Best Contemporary Album Category. The other is for his collab with Shaboozey on the tune “Amen.” That’s a candidate for Best Country Duo/Group Performance.
In addition, Jelly Roll learned recently that he will become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. He got the good news earlier this month when he was a guest on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. Craig Morgan conveyed the prestigious invitation via a pre-recorded message.
Morgan enthusiastically announced, “I’ll never forget meeting you [at] the Grand Ole Opry and how much it meant to me to hear you say my music helped you get through some really tough times. That’s one thing country music does really well. And who would’ve ever dreamed back then that I’d be back at the Opry House today to say Jelly Roll, you’re officially invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry. It’s an honor to say welcome to the family, brother.”
