Jelly Roll has opened up about his deteriorating mental health while touring overseas, revealing that his recent trip to Australia and New Zealand has taken a heavy toll.
The musician, born Jason DeFord, performed six shows across Australia from late October to early November but canceled his Auckland concert on Nov. 8 due to illness. Billboard reported that many fans learned of the cancellation only upon arrival at the venue. While he did not specify the illness at the time, he later shared insight into his struggles in a podcast interview on Nov. 9.
“I’m falling apart. It’s a horrible week. I’m doing the worst mentally I’ve done in a long time,” he said on the podcast. “I’m really far from home and it’s really hitting me that I’m really far from home, like in an anxious way… I’m not having fun, and I want to go home.”
On the podcast, DeFord said the trip abroad had “f—ed my stomach up,” which in turn had worsened his mental health. “When my stomach’s not right, nothing’s right. My mind’s not right. Everything. I’m just not thinking clear,” he said.
When canceling the Auckland show, he wrote on Instagram, “I’ve done everything I can. I just can’t shake it. It breaks my heart, I’ve probably missed three shows in the last decade. I pride myself on showing up no matter what. Just couldn’t do it this time. Please forgive me.”
“I’m having to be super isolated. I don’t like it,” he said. “I’m spending a lot of time in my hotel room by myself, just in my head. I don’t like it. I miss my family a ton.”
DeFord’s international tour marks a milestone following years of legal issues that had previously restricted his travel. “It’s funny, America has finally agreed to let me leave and give me a passport, but some countries won’t let me come because of my felonies,” Jelly Roll shared.
The artist, known for “Son of a Sinner” and “Need a Favor,” was nominated for Best New Artist at the 2024 GRAMMYs. Despite his current challenges, he is scheduled to perform in Mexico City on Nov. 15, headline a New Year’s Eve show in Las Vegas, and play a New Mexico festival in May 2025.