Jelly Roll Cries Talking About How Daughter Bailee, 16, Has Been ‘Affected’ by Her Birth Mother’s Addiction Struggle

“My child’s mother has struggled with drug addiction since my daughter’s been born pretty much,” said the country singer in a new interview

Jelly Roll in Seattle in August 2024. Photo:  Mat Hayward/Getty

Jelly Roll is getting emotional about his daughter.

In a new interview on The Pivot podcast, the “Save Me” singer, 40, opened up about how the biological mother of his 16-year-old daughter Bailee Ann has struggled with addiction, shortly after she was reportedly arrested for drug possession in Tennessee earlier this month.

“My child’s mother has struggled with drug addiction since my daughter’s been born pretty much,” said Jelly on the podcast. “The addict is not the victim in that situation. The family is.”

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Bailee Ann and Jelly Roll in Santa Monica in July 2024.Christopher Polk/Variety via Getty

He then recalled learning of his ex’s recent arrest, noting that someone else informed him of the incident and encouraged him to “check on” Bailee. “It was a news article that her mother had went back to jail, had got caught with, like, meth or something,” he said.

“I’ve seen the effect that it’s had on her. I’ve got a 16, almost 17-year-old upstairs and I’ve seen the effect that it’s had — it’s truly affected her life,” added Jelly, who said learning of the arrest “broke” Bailee’s heart.

“This is a 16, 17-year-old that knows her mother is a drug addict, but like, her having to see the mugshot of her mother with just meth ate up on her face,” he continued, pausing to note that he was “getting emotional” speaking on the matter as he started to cry.

“I watched her go through it all over again. I was like, ‘Ah, man,’ I forgot ’cause I’m like, I’m 40 and I’ve done a lot of therapy and I’ve done a lot of work and I have a relationship with God that it hurt me, but I just got to pray about it and move on,” said Jelly. “But I was like, ‘Ah, man, she’s 16, she don’t have any of those tools. She’s still gaining those tools. This hurts her.’”

The “Need a Favor” artist admitted he blames himself for some of Bailee’s mental health struggles related to her mother. “I told my wife, ‘I’ve invited the world into our living room, so we’ve just gotta accept what comes with that,” he said, referencing wife Bunnie Xo. “This is my fault more than anybody’s.”

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Bailee Ann, Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo in Nashville in May 2023.Jason Kempin/Getty

Jelly is also father to son Noah Buddy from another previous relationship.

In the past, the “Liar” musician has been open about his own struggles with substance use. In January 2024, he urged Congress to take action against the fentanyl epidemic in a powerful speech at a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee hearing.