Bunnie Xo's Tight Bond With Jelly Roll's Daughter Bailee Ann Is Built To Last (Exclusive)

Amid Jelly Roll and Bunnie Xo's pending divorce, the country star's daughter, Bailee Ann, remains caught in the middle. Bunnie Xo played a major role in raising the "Somebody Save Me" singer's child, and many fans have wondered if the split could cause a rift between Bailee Ann and her stepmom. Nicki Swift spoke to an expert on the matter for some insight into how the relationship between the two might evolve post-divorce.

When examining Bunnie and Bailee Ann's bond, chief divorce educator Kimberly Miller (JD, LMFT, CFP®, CDFA®) pointed to how long Jelly Roll's ex has been in his daughter's life. "When a stepmother enters a child's life during middle childhood and remains a consistent presence through adolescence, it's very common for a deep attachment to develop," Miller told us. Even though Jelly Roll has distanced himself from Bunnie since filing for divorce, Miller believes she and Bailee Ann will remain close. "In many blended families, the relationship evolves into one that resembles a parent-child bond because it's built through years of shared experiences and trust," the divorce expert said. It appears Bunnie's relationship with Jelly Roll's kid will be up to Bailee, since she is legally an adult now. "At age 18, Bailee emancipated, which means she can maintain contact with Bunnie on her own terms," added Miller. "There is reason to believe the bond could last despite the divorce."

Days after news broke that her dad had filed for divorce, Bailee Ann took to TikTok Stories to decry fans who were looking for her to take a side. "I am disgusted at how invested everyone is in a very clearly private family matter," she wrote (via InStyle). Long before her break up with Jelly Roll, Bunnie spoke about her connection with Bailee Ann.

Obviously there can be friction between parents and children in a blended family, especially in the early years, but Bunnie Xo said that wasn't the case when she first met Jelly Roll's daughter. According to the "Dumb Blonde Podcast" host, her connection with Bailee Ann happened immediately. One of the sad details of Jelly Roll's daughter is the struggle her mother endured, and Bunnie related to those issues. "When I met Bailee, I was looking at a younger version of me," Bunnie told "Today with Jenna and Sheinelle" in February 2026. "Our lives are so parallel with the addict moms and just in and out of our lives," she added. It was not just the tumultuous family life where Bunnie noticed similarities with Bailee Ann. "She is so independent and so headstrong and tenacious. When I saw her, I was like this is me and she deserves the chance I didn't get," Bunnie said.

When looking for signs on the status of Bunnie and Bailee Ann's relationship amid the divorce, fans might want to look at the family's Instagram pages. The last post featuring Bunnie on Jelly Roll's page is a video both uploaded on May 3. The clip shows the "Wild Ones" singer and his (almost) ex-wife standing behind the teenager. "Our last high school dance transition," Bunnie wrote over the video that showed Bailee Ann glamming up, going from sitting in a button down to rocking a shimmering green dress.

School dances had become somewhat symbolic for the trio. In December 2025, Bailee Ann helped organize a prom-themed party for Jelly Roll's birthday. Over her Instagram post, Bunnie wrote how she and Jelly Roll missed out on their own so they "always pushed" Bailee to attend her school dances.