Jelly Roll bares his soul in new mental health-focused song, ‘I Am Not OK’

Audacy is bringing you the world premiere of Jelly Roll ’s new song, “I Am Not OK,” on Audacy Country stations nationwide.

LISTEN NOW : Jelly Roll shares inspiration behind new song, ‘I Am Not OK’

If there’s one thing you can count on with Country mega-star, Jelly Roll , it’s vulnerability. Whether he’s on or off stage, the 39-year-old is always willing to wear his heart on his sleeve and he’s showing that once again with his new release, “I Am Not OK.”

The Nashville-native took to social media this week to share the new song that focuses on mental health struggles — something he’s is very familiar with. Regularly battling depressive times and anxious spirals himself, Jelly is taking action by providing hope and validation to those battling similar struggles.

“I wrote ‘I Am Not OK,’ because a lot of people in the world are not OK,” Jelly said of his intention behind the new song. “It doesn’t matter what you have or what you don’t have, people still have problems.”

He continued, “Mental health is real. I have prided myself on being someone who makes real music for real people with real problems and it’s OK to not be OK. I hope this song helps people or at least lets them know they are not alone.”

In an earlier interview with Audacy’s Katie Neal , Jelly Roll shared he was often told to “brush it off” when it came to mental health issues as a kid and believes that had a direct effect on his rebellious behavior that eventually landed him in prison. He hopes by addressing the topic of mental health head-on, he’ll be able to help others avoid the troublesome path he endured.

LISTEN NOW : Jelly Roll shares details surrounding his struggles with mental health in an emotional conversation with Katie Neal

“I felt like nobody accepted me,” he shared of why he believes he misbehaved in his younger years. “When you feel like nobody accepts you, there’s always that one group that will and it’s always the trouble.” He continued, “I feel like I might have made some crazy different life decisions if I could have sat down and felt vocal enough to say, ‘Hey, I’m leaning towards this because I don’t feel accepted anywhere else.'”

While Jelly has now turned his life around and regularly pays attention to his mental health, he finds it important to let his fans know that no matter how successful he’s been, he still struggles like many others.

“This is something I think people really need to hear,” he told Audacy’s Katie Neal before detailing what struggling with mental health looks like for him. “I woke up, and for no triggered reason, I did not want to get out of bed. I could not pinpoint [why]… I just woke up and felt a cloud over my bed. Like the blanket was too heavy to push off of me.”

The 39-year-old admits moments like the above are the toughest for him to work through as they often trigger a downward spiral guided by anxious thoughts. “Then the anxiety sets in, the unrealistic anxiety. ‘Is this a bad omen? Is something bad going to happen to somebody around me and this is the feeling it’s fixin’ to happen? Is something going to happen to me? Then the next thing you know, you’re checking your blood pressure for no reason.”

Managing his downward spirals and anxious moments are an ongoing battle for him, but he’s found a few things that help him manage in a healthy way.

LISTEN NOW : Jelly Roll shares how music helps his mental health

“I use music to navigate my mental health as a way of therapy,” he shared. “I don’t mean writing it — that’s very therapeutic as well — but, to this day, if I need to sort through some thoughts I’ll still get in that old truck and hit up a back road and turn up the radio.”

In addition to musical escapes, the Tennessee native shares he always makes a conscious effort to stay present in his mind and practice gratitude. “One of the main tools I use to work towards my mental health is finding presence of mind, finding gratitude, anchoring myself in things like this, constantly listening and trying to learn,” he shared.

Hear more about Jelly Roll’s conversation surrounding mental health, his criminal past, and the moment that changed his life in his conversations with Audacy’s Katie Neal above and don’t miss “I Am Not OK,” world premiere on Audacy Country stations nationwide.

Audacy's I’m Listening initiative aims to encourage those who are dealing with mental health issues to understand they are not alone. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or anxiety, know that someone is always there. Additionally, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 988. Find a full list of additional resources here .