Jelly Roll recently wrapped a run of shows across Australia and New Zealand as part of his Down Under trek. While the trip gave him the chance to explore new places and connect with a fresh wave of fans, he admits it took both a mental and physical toll on him.
Sitting down on the No Filter podcast with Kate Langbroek, the country superstar admitted at the end of the trip he was feeling very ready to go home. Being that far away from his family and his place of comfort left him riddled with anxiety.
“I’m doing the worst mentally I’ve done in a long time,” he said honestly.
A big part of what made this stretch so difficult for Jelly Roll was the loneliness. He explained that since they weren’t traveling by tour bus, he spent much more time alone in hotel rooms than he’s used to. The isolation hit hard, especially for someone who admits that even in a room full of people, he can often feel completely alone.
“I don’t like spending a lot of time in my hotel room by myself,” he shared. “I’m in my head. I’m not having fun — I want to go home.”
He continued, “It’s always a me thing. I’ve done a lot of work on the inner [and] I think now it’s being comfortable in who I’m becoming and where I’m at in my life.”
The loneliness wasn’t the only challenge Jelly Roll faced while down under. The Antioch, TN native also opened up about feeling physically unwell during the trip, largely due to the long flight. As someone who already struggles with stomach issues, he explained that the air pressure on planes left him feeling bloated and uncomfortable, which is something that weighed heavily on his mind throughout the entire duration of the journey.
“You spend the whole day thinking you’re fixing to s–t yourself, and really you’re just waiting for your body to relax enough to fart,” he said with a laugh. “I naturally have an uneasy stomach…when my stomach’s not right, nothing’s right. My mind’s not right, I’m not thinking clear, all I’m thinking about is why does my stomach feel this way?”
He claims that doing a lot of breathing exercises and talking himself into a calmer place has helped him in the past, but when that didn’t work, he knew that the best thing he needed was simply to go home.
“Everybody wants to go home when they’re sick,” he pointed out.
Despite how he was feeling, Jelly Roll still managed to perform several high-energy shows and sing along with his Australian and New Zealand fans. There was, however a night at the very end of the run when the singer/songwriter was forced to cancel a show in Auckland, New Zealand at the very last minute. He wrote fans a disheartening note, letting them know that he was feeling too under the weather to perform that night.
“Dear Auckland, I’ve done everything I can. I just can’t shake it,” he wrote via Instagram. “It breaks my heart — I’ve probably missed three shows in the last decade. I pride myself on showing up no matter what. Just couldn’t do it this time. Please forgive me.”
Having to cancel a show is never easy for Jelly Roll, who has made it very clear how much his fans mean to him. As someone who has been very open about his daily struggles with depression and anxiety, he admits the stage is generally somewhere that makes him at ease, even if only for a few hours.
“It’s therapy for me,” Jelly Roll said of his performances. “I leave feeling the way I hope they leave. I always leave a little lighter a little more tired and a little more hopeful every show.” The “Liar” singer has officially returned home to Tennessee from the run overseas and is next slated to perform at the Corona Capital festival in Mexico City on November 15.
The post Jelly Roll Opens Up About Mental And Physical Struggles During Down Under Tour appeared first on Country Now.
Country Now
