Why Jelly Roll Threw His Smartphone Into a River — And Doesn’t Plan on Getting Another

Published: December 26, 2024

Why Jelly Roll Threw His Smartphone Into a River — And Doesn’t Plan on Getting Another

By Movieguide® Contributor

Country star Jelly Roll is saying “See ya!” to his cell phone in the coming year.

“This isn’t maybe not the healthy way to do it, but I can confidently tell people I’m not going to have a phone all of [2025],” he said on wife Bunnie’s “Dumb Blonde” podcast.

He explained, “I was getting to a point that I was getting hundreds and hundreds of text messages a day. And I just was overwhelmed. And then when I would finally sit down to go back through them, I would just feel like such a bad human for missing them…I was carrying a lot of guilt. This phone was causing me a lot of guilt.”

In November, Jelly Roll threw his cell phone into the Cumberland River and plans to use a flip phone.

“It’s healthy for me,” he shared, adding that getting rid of his phone will help him become the man he wants to be.

“I want to be a better husband. I want to be a better father. I want to be a better human. I want to be a better artist,” Jelly Roll said.

Jelly Roll isn’t the only one turning away from smartphones and back to “dumb phones.” Many are rejecting the higher-tech phones, in favor of one that doesn’t take up all their time and energy.

In addition to tossing out his smartphone, the country singer has also shared his desire to get healthy in the new year — and score a place on the cover of Men’s Health magazine.

“That’s my new goal,” he said on his wife’s podcast. “I want to have one of the biggest transformations.”

In early November, Jelly Roll shared that he had lost 120 lbs, citing eating right and regular exercise as the reason behind his weight loss.

The country singer is ready to celebrate the Christmas holidays with his family, telling PEOPLE he’s looking forward to doing “as little as possible.”

“We just came off a big tour,” the singer explained. “We’re gonna hang out and play Fortnite.”