Jelly Roll added another milestone to his already historic night at the 2026 GRAMMYs, taking home his third career GRAMMY win on Sunday, February 1. The 41-year-old genre-blending superstar took home the trophy for Best Contemporary Country Album with his deeply personal No. 1 project, Beautifully Broken.
When Lainey Wilson and Jeff Goldblum announced Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, as the winner on live television, he immediately broke down in tears, embraced his wife Bunnie XO, and shared a kiss. He then hugged Reba McEntire before making his way to the stage to accept his Gramophone trophy.
After Wilson and Goldblum handed the Nashville native his trophy, Jelly Roll delivered the powerful, heartfelt acceptance speech he’s known for giving whenever he wins an award.
“I know they’re going to try to kick me off here, so just let me try to get this out,” he began, referencing the time restraint the GRAMMYs put on speeches. He went on to graciously thank the Lord, his wife, Bunnie XO, country radio, and his record label and manager.
“First of all, Jesus, I hear you, and I’m listening. Lord, I’m listening, Lord. Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would’ve never changed my life without you. I [would have] ended up dead or in jail. I’d have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus; I thank you for that,” Jelly Roll said. “I thank you for my label, Broken Bow! Country radio, baby. What’s up, dog? Oh, Republic John McNeely. We did it, baby.”
Jelly Roll opened up and reflected on the personal struggles that inspired him to write Beautifully Broken. “There was a time in my life, y’all, that I was broken. That’s why I wrote this album. I didn’t think I had a chance,” the chart-topping singer/songwriter continued.
He closed out his acceptance speech with a heartfelt message of how finding his faith changed his life. “There was days that I thought the darkest things, I was a horrible human,” Jelly Roll concluded. “There was a moment in my life that all I had was a Bible this big and a radio the same size of a 6×8 foot cell. And I believed that those two things could change my life. I believed that music had the power to change my life, and God had the power to change my life. And 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 music label. Jesus is Jesus, and anybody can have a relationship with him. I love you, Lord.”
Reba McEntire, Kelsea Ballerini, and many other superstars in the audience were brought to tears by Jelly Roll’s powerful speech.
Jelly Roll’s album, Beautifully Broken, released on October 11, 2024, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, marking his first-ever chart-topping album in the U.S. The project also claimed the top spot on the UK Country Albums chart and includes hit singles such as “I Am Not Okay,” “Heart of Stone,” and “Liar.”
Eric Church (Evangeline vs. the Machine), Kelsea Ballerini (PATTERNS), Miranda Lambert (Postcards From Texas), and Tyler Childers (Snipe Hunter) were also nominated in the category.
The 2026 GRAMMYs also featured unforgettable performances from Bruno Mars, Addison Rae, Alex Warren, Andrew Watt, Brandy Clark, Chad Smith, Clipse, Duff McKagan, Justin Bieber, KATSEYE, Lady Gaga, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Lukas Nelson, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Olivia Dean, Pharrell Williams, Post Malone, Reba McEntire, ROSÉ, Sabrina Carpenter, Slash, SOMBR, The Marías, Tyler, The Creator, and more.
Reba McEntire, Brandy Clark, and Lukas Nelson paid tribute to those we lost over the past year during the In Memoriam segment, while Ms. Lauryn Hill honored the late Roberta Flack and D’Angelo with a special performance. Post Malone, Andrew Watt, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Duff McKagan and Slash of Guns N’ Roses also celebrated the life and legacy of the late “Prince of Darkness,” Ozzy Osbourne.
Addison Rae, Alex Warren, KATSEYE, Leon Thomas, Lola Young, Olivia Dean, SOMBR, and The Marías also took the stage for a special Best New Artist showcase performance.
A star-studded lineup of presenters graced the stage during “Music’s Biggest Night,” including Carole King, Chappell Roan, Charli XCX, Doechii, Harry Styles, Jeff Goldblum, KAROL G, Lainey Wilson, Marcello Hernández, Nikki Glaser, Q-Tip, Queen Latifah, and Teyana Taylor.
Hosted by Trevor Noah, the 68th Annual GRAMMY Awards aired live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, February 1, at 8/7c on CBS. Produced by Fulwell 73 Productions for the Recording Academy, the event was also available to stream live and on-demand via Paramount+.
