Jelly Roll Takes the 2023 CMT Music Awards to Church With ‘Need a Favor’ Performance
Jelly Roll rocked the 2023 CMT Music Awards on Sunday night (April 2) with a performance of his genre-bending hit, “Need a Favor.”
Backed by a full gospel choir, the 38-year-old delivered his sermon for the sinners as church signs featuring the track’s lyrics flashed behind him. “I only talk to God, when I need a favor/ And I only pray, when I ain’t got a prayer,” he belted in the chorus.
Jelly Roll (born Jason DeFord) snagged his first CMT Music Award this year, as he won all three awards he was nominated for. “Son of a Sinner” won digital-first performance of the year, breakthrough male video of the year and male video of the year.
The rising country star made history earlier this year after he surpassed NLE Choppa for most weeks atop Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart, as “Need a Favor” peaked at No. 37 on Hot Country Songs and his most popular track to date, “Son of a Sinner,” peaked at No. 8.
“I think what I think I represent is just a beacon of hope,” the singer previously told Billboard of his success. “I don’t look like the guy that you would’ve assumed would’ve made it [in the music industry]. Sam Hunt’s a really dear friend of mine, and Sam is just a big striking, handsome guy. When you see him, you’re like, ‘Oh, I get it.’ When you see me, you don’t get it initially — then you meet me, and hear the story and hear the music. I just feel like I represent the guy who looks at himself in the mirror every day and goes, ‘Yeah, guys like me don’t make it.’”
Rania Aniftos
Billboard
