Jelly Roll on how he explained his face tattoos to his daughter’s friends

Jelly Roll says his relationship with his face tattoos has changed significantly over time, especially as a father.

In a recent interview with Taste of Country, the 41-year-old country artist shared how he used to explain his facial ink to his daughter Bailee’s friends when they were younger.

Jelly Roll recalled that when Bailee was in kindergarten, her classmates often asked why his face looked the way it did.

Rather than explain the truth, he told them the tattoos were temporary and only appeared when he visited their school.

He said he would joke that he drew them on by hand, later claiming he used stickers so they would look the same every time. Eventually, the questions became harder to answer as the kids grew older and noticed the tattoos never disappeared.

As Bailee entered her teen years, Jelly Roll said the tattoos began to affect more than just awkward conversations. Some parents, he revealed, were uncomfortable letting their children spend time at his home because of his appearance.

The musician recently addressed public assumptions about his tattoos in a Men’s Health cover story, pushing back on the idea that his look was meant to attract attention.

He explained that what often reads as bravado can actually come from insecurity, shame, and unresolved guilt. For him, the tattoos were part of a larger emotional armor he built earlier in life.

Jelly Roll, born Jason DeFord, has been open about regretting most of his tattoos, many of which he got as a teenager or during periods of incarceration. He previously said his beliefs at 17 no longer reflect who he is today.

Now amid a major personal transformation, including dramatic weight loss and shaving his beard for the first time in a decade, Jelly Roll says he is learning to be more honest about his past, his appearance, and the impact both have had on his family.