Jelly Roll, the award-winning star of country music, is set to make a huge splash this spring. He’s headlining Stagecoach on April 26! This performance comes on the heels of his game-changing announcement! He will be the inaugural “Artist in Residence” for the 23rd season of American Idol. The 40-year-old singer, known for fusing country and hip-hop, feels ecstatic on the verge of these new moves. He’s a particular fan of country music legend Toby Keith.
Taking nothing away from that original Keith Urban, inspired by Keith, Jelly Roll has burst onto the scene. TikTok, and his rendition of “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” earned a stamp of approval from Keith’s son, Stelen. Jelly Roll shared, “Toby’s son saw me at the CMTs and took me to the side and said, ‘Hey man, I want to let you know I’ve seen a video of you covering this song, and I think it’s one of the best versions of it ever. And I think you honor my father.’ And it just meant so much to me.”
Jelly Roll recently performed a tribute to Toby Keith alongside T-Pain at an event, showcasing his respect for the late artist. On stage, he marked the occasion with a personal touch, asking his 16-year-old daughter to join him on stage. The crowd enthusiastically participated when they had the chance to sing happy birthday to her.
The artist’s career is taking off like never before! He’s readying for The Big Ass Stadium Tour with Post Malone, storming stadium stages all over North America this May. Jelly Roll will join his fellow judges on American Idol, Bryan, Carrie Underwood and Lionel Richie. Combined, they’ll ensure contestants set the stage for amazing performances.
In a hilarious segment on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Jelly Roll was given a particularly cheeky prompt. Toby was prompted to disclose the “most embarrassing thing” that had ever occurred to him on stage. He not only admitted, “I shit myself on stage one time.” This admission brought forth the funny in him on purpose.
It’s this unapologetic embrace of his Oklahoma roots that’s given Jelly Roll crossover appeal with both fans and recording artists. He remarked, “He was an outlier. He was unapologetically Oklahoma. There are a lot of things he did that encouraged me and empowered me.”
Jelly Roll has officially opened an exhilarating new chapter in his career. Fans are excited to see what he brings to the performances, and what he brings to American Idol overall! From hopeful performer, he became a cultural force. His journey is a testament to the do-it-yourself attitude and unapologetic realness that define today’s country music landscape.