On June 15, it was first reported that Jelly Roll had filed for divorce from his wife of nearly 10 years, Bunnie Xo.
Citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for their divorce, the country artist addressed the situation at a show in New York on June 18, saying, “Me and my wife are best friends. We will always be best friends.”
Now, on Wednesday, June 24, Jelly Roll has released a song that tells a story of faith, hope, and overcoming adversity.
Titled “Hands Up,” the song speaks to his foundation, reflecting on what ultimately gets him through life’s challenges.
Listen To “Hands Up,” Jelly Roll’s First Song Since News Of His Divorce
Earlier this year, on the day before Valentine’s Day, Jelly Roll released a solo song titled “Thorns.”
There, he sang, “Every lost has a found / Look at me, girl, standin’ next to you right now / Thought I’d always be alone / But every thorn has its rose.”
In light of his divorce from Bunnie Xo, who is prominently featured in the music video for “Thorns,” he is now looking back to his core with a new song, titled “Hands Up.”
Released on June 24, this comes nine days after the sudden news of his divorce from Bunnie Xo.
Cleverly, the song begins with Jelly Roll inviting the listener to join him in his DeLorean, the iconic car that was converted into a time machine in Back To The Future (1985).
He then proceeds to tell three different stories, with the song’s chorus applying to all three.
The first speaks of his connection to music, being a young man enjoying songs by the rap-rock group Rage Against the Machine.
“Me and all those people people called nothing but troubled kids / If there was ever a fire in me, yeah that’s the night I got it lit,” he sings.
The chorus then states:
The chorus goes on after the second story to be dialogue from a police officer who caught Jelly Roll with drugs.
Jelly Roll rose to widespread prominence around the time of his testimony before Congress in 2024, advocating for anti-fentanyl legislation while not shying away from his past as a dealer.
For the third story, Jelly Roll turns to his faith in Jesus that saved his life while he was “comin’ down and hidin’ out back there in that ol’ sinner’s row.”
Each situation he sings of, the chorus places it as leading up to a moment of surrender. Through those moments, Jelly Roll argues that hope is found.
Of course, Jelly Roll turning his life around and following Christ has been part of the success story for his successful crossover duet with Christian artist Brandon Lake, “Hard Fought Hallelujah.
He has followed that collaboration up with another duet on faith, Shaboozey’s “Amen.”
Now, “Hands Up” joins those two other songs of faith as a powerful testimony that no one is ever alone when they trust in God.
Stream “Hands Up” on your preferred streaming platform, here.
Jelly Roll has also shared a video of the song as the soundtrack to his fitness journey, writing on social media ahead of the release of “Hands Up,” “Make the choice. You can do it.”
Written over the video, he recalls, “On day 1, I walked in the rain. Today, I’m sprinting in the rain.”
Watch the video including motivation from Jelly Roll, here:
Listen to Jelly Roll’s “Hands Up,” here:
