Jelly Roll Honors Make-A-Wish Fan With Special Dedication During Rare “Only” Performance
By Website Content Manager
Amelia’s wish is fulfilled when Jelly Roll gives a rare, emotional performance for her after meeting her backstage in Charleston.
Jelly Roll recently brought his Little Ass Shed Tour to Credit One Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, where he helped fulfill a special Make-A-Wish request for a young fan named Amelia.
A video shared on his social media captured a touching backstage moment between the singer and Amelia, who was previously diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer. She has since been cancer-free for more than a year. During their meeting, Jelly Roll spent time talking with her, answering her questions, and later acknowledged her and her family during his performance.
Amelia began their conversation by asking what the singer enjoys doing most in his free time. Jelly Roll replied that hiking had become his favorite activity, explaining that his weight loss journey allowed him to enjoy outdoor experiences he once couldn’t easily do. He then turned the question back to her, and Amelia shared that she loves swimming.
She also asked how Jason DeFord came to be known as Jelly Roll. The artist explained that the nickname came from his mother, who associated it with jelly-filled treats, joking that he might have ended up being called “Jelly Donut” instead if she had known the difference.
Later that night on stage, Jelly Roll gave Amelia a special shoutout by displaying her in the stadium crowd and revealing that she had requested a song he hadn’t performed in years. The track, “Only,” originally appeared on his 2017 mixtape Addiction Kills.
Before performing it, he admitted he was slightly unsure of the lyrics and joked that the band might need to help him through it, adding that if anything went wrong, it was still being done for Amelia. Despite the challenge, he delivered a moving rendition that drew an emotional reaction from both the young fan and the audience.
Amelia’s mother first shared her daughter’s diagnosis in a Facebook post in June 2024, describing her as resilient and upbeat throughout treatment, even during difficult radiation sessions.
In a more recent update, she announced that Amelia is now cancer-free, expressing gratitude for the support, prayers, and encouragement the family received throughout her recovery journey.