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Jelly Roll opens up on his journey from 'horrible human' to a country singer, says prison 'gave me my voice'

'I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for what I went through. I think it empowered me,' Jelly Roll said of his time in prison

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE: Jelly Roll, the 38-year-old singer, who was once a prisoner and had run-ins with the law, is now a country music sensation with five nods at the 2023 Country Music Awards.

The 'Save Me' singer, whose birth name is Jason Bradley DeFord, opened up about his journey from wearing an orange jumpsuit to being the CMA's most nominated male artist, OK! Magazine reports.

How did prison gave Jelly Roll his voice?

“I think it gave me my voice,” Jelly Roll said of his time in prison where he spent two years for armed robbery charges when he was 18.

He said before adding, "I wouldn't be the man I am today if it wasn't for what I went through. I think it empowered me."

“It taught me a lot about changing and the ability to change," he added.

He confessed, “I was a horrible human for decades, and to just be able to turn that around and give a message in the music and help people."

"… and just try to give back as much as I can in every way I can is very indicative of where I came from and how important it is to me to always reach back," he continued.

Jelly Roll did not expect to become  most nominated male artist at the CMAs

The Nashville native, who released his first album in 2010, did not expect to become the most nominated male artist for this year’s CMAs.

The CMA's will be hosted by Luke Bryan and Peyton Manning at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennesse on Wednesday, November 8.

However, the 'Wild Ones' vocalist couldn't believe it. “You know, I didn’t frankly… I don’t know if I expected to even be nominated, you know, and to wake up and have the nominations, and then be the most nominated male? Then to turn around and be asked to open the actual show?,” he said.

How did Jelly Roll’s collaboration with Struggle Jennings change his career?

Jelly Roll’s career took off in 2017 when he collaborated with Struggle Jennings on the song 'The Bottom.' The song made it to the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

He is now competing for New Artist of the Year at the CMAs, and has already won three CMT Music Awards for the song 'Son of a Sinner.'