Jelly Roll credits 'legend' Taylor Swift for inspiring him as he vows to keep going after CMA Awards snub

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Country singer Jelly Roll claimed he was inspired by Taylor Swift after he returned empty-handed from the 2024 CMA Awards, Billboard reported on Friday, November 22.

According to the publication, Jelly Roll has enjoyed a stellar year professionally, with his album 'Beautifully Broken' debuting at No 1 on all-genre Billboard 200, and him embarking on his first headlining arena trek, The Beautifully Broken Tour.

While he received multiple nominations for this year's CMAs, Jelly Roll failed to feature on the winners' list. However, the singer was not disheartened, as he recalled a similar situation faced by Taylor Swift at the Grammy Awards.

How did Taylor Swift inspire Jelly Roll?

Taylor Swift's 2017 album 'Reputation' did not receive a Grammy nomination in the Album of the Year category at the time, though it was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album.

In a post on the social media platform Instagram where he shared his experience at the 2024 CMA Awards, Jelly Roll mentioned seeing "a clip the other day of Taylor Swift when she found out her album Reputation was not nominated for Album of the Year at the Grammys."

"Her first response was 'It’s ok, I just have to make a better record'," he noted. "Man that lit a fire under me in a way I’ve never had lit."

“That was ultimate accountability in action in the real moment and that’s why Taylor is the legend she is. That was all said to say, I’m going to write a better album, I’m going to work harder and I’ll be back baby, I will be back. PS REPUTATION was one of the greatest albums ever written.”

Jelly Roll congratulated other CMA winners in his post

Jelly Roll had three nominations at the CMA Awards this year- Entertainer of the Year, won by Morgan Wallen, Male Vocalist of the Year, which went to Chris Stapleton, and Album of the Year, won by Cody Johnson’s 'Leather.'

Instead of feeling down, the country star took the snub in stride and thanked his family for standing by him while graciously praising the winners in each of the categories.

“Standing next to the two people that matter the most to me, we walked into the Bridgestone Arena for my second CMA ever as a nominated artist,” he wrote. “On the biggest night in country music on the biggest stage in Nashville I had the opportunity to stand next to a couple of living legends and praise Jesus in front of the world. Thank you Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, y’all could’ve picked any artist in the world bigger than me, I’ll never be able to thank y’all enough for giving me an opportunity to shamelessly stand on my faith in front of the world.”

“I know I don’t have to say this but, just so we are clear – Chris Stapleton was and always will be the Male Vocalist of the year as long as he is alive and I think we all agree about that. MORGAN WALLEN MY EAST TENNESSEE BROTHER finally got the flowers he deserves, no one has done more for country music in the last quarter of a century than Morgan has," continued the singer.

"And Cody, my brother and one of my best friends Cody Johnson, your album Leather is truly one of my favorite albums recorded in the last decade, any win for you is a win for me, you deserved this one, and now I can brag that I’m one of the only features on the CMA album of the year. To my wife and daughter, thank you both. You both stood by me when I wasn’t worth standing by I’m glad we are enjoying this rocket ride together.”

Jelly Roll had notably collaborated with Johnson on the song 'Whiskey Bent' which featured on the winning album, 'Leather'.