Jelly Roll Is ‘Unrecognizable’ As He Unveils Clean-Shaven Look

Jelly Roll shocked fans by shaving his beard for the first time in a decade, revealing a slimmer face after losing nearly 200 pounds.

His wife, Bunnie Xo, teased the transformation earlier, sharing clips of him shaving for a photo shoot. While fans praised his new look, Bunnie emphasized that his health matters most.

Jelly Roll said his weight loss comes from lifestyle changes, such as healthy eating, exercise, and discipline, not Ozempic, which he avoided due to side-effect fears.

Jelly Roll (whose real name is Jason DeFord) recently shocked his followers after shaving off his signature beard, something he hasn’t done in an entire decade.

In a video he posted on Instagram on November 20, the 40-year-old country star joked that he originally kept the beard to distract from his weight, but now that it’s gone, he feels a little like a “Ninja Turtle.”

The singer then shared one of the reasons why he started growing a beard was because he was “so obese,” adding that it was easier for him “to cover up what was going on here,” while pointing to his neck area.

Jelly Roll then went on to speak about his three Grammy nominations, talking about how grateful he was for the nods.

In the comments, fans lauded Jelly Roll for his dedication towards his weight loss journey, with one writing: “Bro, all the hard work is paying off. You look fit!”

Another added: “Somebody call Gilette, cause Jelly looks sharp!”

A third chimed in: “You can rock the clean shave look NGL!! You look great, bro!! I’m on my journey to lose weight myself. I dropped over 160 in 9 months. You’re an inspiration, listening to your music and watching your weight loss journey. Keep making amazing music and do ya think you rock!”

A fourth encouraged: “You do not like a Ninja Turtle, and yes, I’m yelling. Hear me loud and clear, no negative thoughts. Just like you, only positive. You look amazing!”

Others noted that he looked “unrecognizable” and like a “completely different” man after shaving his beard and revealing his full face.

A week before Jelly Roll revealed his clean-shaven look, his wife Bunnie Xo had already given fans a sneak peek.

On November 13, she posted a light-hearted Instagram video explaining that her husband ditched the beard for a recent photo shoot.

“Because now that he’s so skinny — look at that freaking jawline — we wanna see that jawline, right, ladies?” she quipped.

In the clip, Bunnie Xo recorded her reaction as the “Save Me” singer slowly shaved his scruff into a goatee, then a “cop mustache,” before finally going completely clean-shaven.

“I have never seen this man without facial hair. Not one freaking time,” she admitted.

When the transformation was complete, she couldn’t help but hype him up.

“You look so fine, dude,” she said. “The goatee and the mustache were great, and honestly, even the totally clean face isn’t bad at all.”

And while Jelly Roll has drawn compliments over his slim new look, Bunnie Xo reminded fans of what is most important.

Despite all the excitement over his slimmer appearance, Bunnie Xo has emphasized what matters most.

In a September 28 TikTok, she reminded fans, “He’s always had the same soul. I think the most appropriate thing here to say is that he looks so much more healthier now that he’s lost weight.”

The dramatic change comes as Jelly Roll continues a major health transformation. Once weighing around 550 pounds, the musician has now lost nearly 200 pounds.

He told People Magazine that since beginning his lifestyle overhaul in 2022, he has dropped 110 pounds by exercising consistently and making healthier choices on the road.

The Grammy nominee shared that his touring routine looks completely different now. What used to revolve around partying, drinking, and drugs has shifted and is now centered on “good eating and around exercising and doing emotional check-ins with our crew every day.”

He also addressed why he hasn’t used Ozempic, despite its growing popularity among celebrities seeking weight loss. Jelly Roll admitted he was scared of the medication’s possible side effects, particularly acid reflux. “I just was afraid of it …” he said.

He emphasized that his choice to lose weight naturally wasn’t about making a statement. “I want to be very clear that I’ve done it naturally, but it wasn’t out of stubbornness or trying to prove a point. If it helps you, go get it. But for me, I was just petrified of the side effects of it,” he said.

Jelly Roll has also been honest about the emotional work behind his transformation.

Last year, he revealed that one of his biggest battles was changing how he viewed food, something deeply rooted in his upbringing.

“The battle was with the food addiction, changing the way I’ve looked at food for the last 39 years,” he told People.

He explained that healthy eating habits weren’t something he grew up around, making the early stages of change especially difficult.

“That was the hard part, really fighting that demon at first and getting into that discipline and that commitment,” he said.

But when he shifted his mindset, progress came quickly.

“Once you get into that discipline and commitment, it’s like an avalanche,” he noted. “Once that little snowball started rolling, it was on its way.”