Rapper Jelly Roll, 39, and Lainey Wilson, 31, took the Dolby Theatre in LA straight to the church at the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards on Monday, April 1. Though this isn’t the first time Jelly Role and Lainey Wilson performed their passionate duet of “Save Me” live, this one takes the cake as it effortlessly drifted the audience to the next level of enjoyment.
Jelly Roll And Lainey Wilson Receives A Standing Ovation For Their Musical Performance
When Roll took the stage, it was decorated with hundreds of glowing votive candles that made the stage look like a prism-like stage. With tears in his eyes, the country singer began to sing his most acclaimed track “Save Me” which topped the Billboard Country list in 2023.
As he walked to the front of the stage, he realized the front row audience were singling along with him, while also waving their hands at him. The gesture immediately boosted his confidence as it reflected in his voice and body language. Though he opened the song, Roll then paved the way for Lainey Wilson to take over the stage.
The 31-year-old, make a showstopping entry in black leather bellbottoms and a concert-friendly feathery jacket. As soon as she entered, she proved to the world her vocal control was nothing short of that of Roll, and the two were having a blast on the stage. Toward the end of the performance, they both burst into a peal of natural laughter leading to a standing ovation.
The performance was followed by an emotional speech by Roll, who bagged awards for Best New Artist (country), and Best New Artist (pop). Keeping the church vibes alive, Roll shared a fiery speech about his life and explained what it meant for him to receive those awards from such a massive stage.
“My mom used to tell me that I had a radio face,” Roll said cheekily, adding,” But who would have thought that one day you would listen to my voice on the radio…You may not necessarily understand what this growth would mean for a kid like me.”
The “Son of a Sinner” singer further asked:” What does it imply when a guy like me makes it to the new pop artist of the year?” Though he asked the question looking at the audience, he went on to answer it by himself saying,” It means that sometimes God chooses the least likely messenger with the biggest message.”
The artist then continued to thank the people who supported him throughout his journey including his wife, Bunny, and daughter, Bailee Ann.
“I’m such a fan of this man,” Lainey gushed as she took the mic from Roll to share a few words expressing her enthusiasm for the icon. “My boy, Jelly Roll, who owns the biggest heart, is my friend,” she asserted, adding, “Give it up for him.” Soon after that, the admirers in the audience exploded in ovation.
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Just like how the song had left the listeners spellbound after its release, the live performance also ensured to maintain the emotional effect of the song while also infusing a message of redemption and hope in the lyrics. The chemistry between the singers was also appreciated by the fans with one writing, “This duo exhibits spiritual light as if they are differently blessed.”