Jelly Roll’s ‘Thorns’ Celebrates Love and Redemption Through Its Lyrics

Jelly Roll's new song "Thorns" dropped early this morning, the perfect Valentine's Day gift to his wife of 10 years Bunnie Xo.

The track showcases Jelly Roll's unique sound, starting with simple guitar chords and growing into a fuller melody, while the lyrics reflect Jelly's life before meeting Bunnie as "down, broke." He sees her as "grace, you were mercy."

An especially impactful line says, "Every thorn has its rose, every rough has a diamond," which illustrates life's ups and downs. Other metaphors include "you rolled the dice, you took the chance" and "you saved my life."

The complete lyrics talk more about finding balance and recovery, both of which Jelly sings about frequently in his music. He often cites his troubled past with drugs and incarceration, but credits Bunnie with helping him change for the better.

Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo met at one of his shows at Country Saloon in Las Vegas in 2015 and stayed in touch before getting together the following year. Jelly popped the question during a Las Vegas concert in August 2016, and they eloped that night at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas.

"We got married kind of randomly," Jelly Roll mentioned to The Knot. "It was Vegas, right?" They renewed their vows in August 2023 at the same chapel.

At the 2026 Grammy Awards, the couple was all smiles on the red carpet, and Jelly took home the award for Best Contemporary Country Album, as well as Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Amen” with Shaboozey, and Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song for “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Brandon Lake.

In his acceptance speech, Jelly thanked Bunnie, saying, “I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would’ve never changed my life without you. I’d ended up dead or in jail.”  

Listen to "Thorns" below.