'I'm Gonna Cry': Jelly Roll's Dramatic Beard-Free Transformation Leaves Family Stunned Amid 200lb Weight Loss Journey
Jelly Roll, 40, has shaved his beard for the first time in a decade.
Nov. 16 2025, Published 4:00 p.m. ET
Jelly Roll is embracing a dramatic transformation as part of his ongoing 200-pound weight loss journey — starting with shaving his beard for the first time in a decade.
The 40-year-old musician, currently touring in Australia, surprised fans and family alike when he decided to remove his signature facial hair, a moment documented in a recent social media post shared by his wife, Bunnie Xo, RadarOnline.com can report.
Jelly Roll's wife, Bunnie Xo, 45, documented the reveal in an Instagram clip.
Bunnie, 45, revealed the milestone in an Instagram clip, telling followers, "You guys, I have been with my husband for going on 10 years now, [and] I have never seen this man without his facial hair. Not one freaking time."
She added that the clean-shaven look was inspired in part by her husband's recent weight loss: "My husband, in honor of his shoot that he did today, is going to shave off his beard completely, because now that he's so skinny — look at that freaking jawline — we wanna see that jawline, right, ladies?"
Before shaving, Jelly Roll joked about possibly needing a facelift.
Ahead of the shave, Jelly Roll joked about the big change, saying, "We're trying to see if a facelift might be in order." But Bunnie refused to look until the transformation was complete, repeating, "I'm not looking. I'm not looking, okay?" She told fans, "He tried to just show me, [but] I'm not looking until it's all done," later adding, "He just kicked me out of the room."
When she finally returned, Jelly Roll's beard had shifted from a goatee to what she playfully called a "cop mustache", a look she admitted she found unexpectedly appealing. She praised her husband, telling him he looked "so fine" and calling them both "fire."
But when the beard was fully gone, the reveal left her momentarily stunned. Covering her mouth, she admitted, "The total naked face, it's not terrible."
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When he finally revealed his fully bare face, Bunnie was shocked but admitted "it's not terrible".
The couple then FaceTimed loved ones to show off the fresh look, with reactions ranging from emotional to shocked. One person said, "Oh my God, I'm gonna cry," while another exclaimed, "What the f---? I am scared."
Despite the private reactions, Jelly Roll — born Jason DeFord — has yet to publicly share his fully shaven face online. With fans eagerly awaiting the big reveal, Bunnie assured them, "Hey guys, he will show y'all when he's ready."
The bold grooming change arrives as Jelly Roll continues his highly visible health transformation. Over the summer, he showcased his slimmer figure while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live, and he has openly shared his goal to appear on the cover of Men's Health by March 2026.
He has vowed to lose the weight publicly, explaining, "I wanted to lose it in front of everybody. I wanted to talk about it."
