Jelly Roll isn't chasing success anymore. He's looking for his higher calling.
The country singer and devout Christian reflected on the uncertain future of his music career during a recent appearance on "Y'all Access with Kelly Sutton."
"Everything that Jason, or Jelly Roll, wanted to do in the music business, I've done now," said Jelly Roll, who was born Jason Bradley DeFord. "So, at this point, I really need to go talk to God and see if he wants me to stick around or what he wants me to do next."
The Nashville, Tennessee, native, known for his soulful blend of country rock and hip-hop influences, is something of an unlikely musical juggernaut. After a checkered young adulthood, which included several stints in prison for robbery and drug offenses,
Jelly Roll devoted himself to an entertainment career in the early 2010s.
In the last decade and a half, the singer has become one of country music's most recognizable stars, racking up nine No. 1 hits on Billboard's Country Airplay chart and winning three Grammy Awards. Jelly Roll was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry, a prestigious membership organization in the country genre, in March.
But despite these accolades, Jelly Roll says his faith comes first.
"If God tells me to go work at a homeless shelter in Paducah, Kentucky, I'm out of here, you know what I'm saying?" Jelly Roll said. "Y'all will never see me again. He gave me everything I ever wanted, man ā Grammys, ACMs, CMAs, I'm a member of the Grand Ole Opry, like, God has done it."
Jelly Roll has been vocal about his Christianity, incorporating religious imagery and themes of faith into his lyrics, as heard on songs such as "Need a Favor" and "Son of a Sinner."
In February, after winning the Grammy for best contemporary country album, Jelly Roll gave a heartfelt shout-out to his spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ, telling the audience that "Jesus is not owned by a music label" and "anybody can have a relationship with him."
"I just got to go do a little bit of work on myself to make sure that Iām all the way ready," Jelly Roll said on "Y'all Access." "I'm completely sober, though. I'm clear-headed, I'm deep in therapy, I'm deep in my Bible, but I think that I got to separate from the chaos of the business for me to really hear what God wants to do for me next."
Contributing: Melissa Ruggieri, Natalie Neysa Alund and Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jelly Roll reveals the purpose that could make him leave music for good
