Jelly Roll has reportedly packed his bags and left the United States, moving to the United Kingdom after weeks of criticism over his increasingly controversial public image.
The country music star told media before his departure that he had reached a point where he no longer felt respected in his own country and believed leaving was the only way to get a fresh start.
“Just a few jokes and boom! I’m the most unpopular guy in town,” Jelly said. “My restaurant got shut down, and I lost everything after those silly jokes.”
Jelly said the backlash had become overwhelming and that the reaction to his comments had changed the way he viewed his future in the United States.
“People in the U.S. no longer respect me, and I don’t want to be here anymore,” he said. “I’m off to the U.K., where I hope I’ll get enough respect and work to live my life comfortably.”
The move comes after a difficult stretch for the singer, whose public image has taken a significant hit following his television appearances and comments that sparked criticism among some of his longtime fans.
Jelly had previously enjoyed enormous popularity in the country music world. His music reached a massive audience, his concerts attracted large crowds and his Nashville business became an important part of his growing brand.
But the situation changed quickly.
Critics began accusing the singer of abandoning the audience that had supported him throughout his career. Social media arguments intensified, sponsorships became a source of controversy and his business ventures faced increasing pressure.
Jelly now says he simply wants to put the entire episode behind him.
“I never thought a couple of jokes could turn into all of this,” he said. “I thought people would laugh, we’d move on and I’d go back to making music.”
Instead, he said, the backlash followed him everywhere.
The singer reportedly decided that starting over abroad would give him an opportunity to rebuild his career away from the political and cultural arguments that had consumed his public image in the United States.
The United Kingdom, he said, seemed like the logical destination.
“I need somewhere I can breathe,” Jelly said. “I need somewhere I can work, make music and live without every single thing I say becoming a national controversy.”
Whether the move will help restore his career remains to be seen. The U.K. offers Jelly a new audience, but rebuilding the level of success he previously enjoyed in the United States could prove challenging.
For now, however, the singer appears determined to leave the past behind.
“I love America,” Jelly said. “But I don’t feel like America loves me anymore.”
He added that he was not giving up on music and hoped British fans would be willing to give him another chance.
“I just want to work,” he said. “I want to make music, pay my bills and live a comfortable life. Maybe that’s easier for me in the U.K.”
With that, Jelly Roll has begun a new chapter overseas, leaving behind the controversy, the criticism and the country that once made him a superstar.