Jelly Roll took the 2023 Country Music Association Awards to church on Wednesday (November 8) in a powerful rendition of his hit "Need A Favor," bringing out country legend Wynonna Judd for an emotional performance.
Jelly Roll kicked off his performance alone, singing the opening lyrics a capella on a stage fully transformed into a church, complete with a massive stained glass window and gospel choir behind him. As the music swelled toward the chorus, Judd surprised the crowd when she walked on stage. Jelly Roll recently teamed up with Judd for a star-studded compilation album alongside other major country artists.
The pair proved to be a powerhouse duo as they put on a passionate performance, Judd hanging on to Jelly Roll as they belted out, "Hangin' in there, just barely/ Throwin' up prayers, like Hail Mary's/ If You're Still There, Lord, spare Me/ Oh my God, oh my God, Hail Mary."
Jelly Roll recently opened up about how fellow CMA Awards nominee Lainey Wilson's addition on the duo's hit "Save Me" helped more people hear the song, praising the "Heart Like A Truck" singer for the collab in a lengthy Instagram post last week and adding that she was the "perfect voice" for the reimagined track.
"I could not have picked a better person to reimagine this song with," he wrote. "I always knew that Save Me helped people BUT I always knew there was so many people in the world that had not heard it yet but needed to hear it cause it could help so many more people."
He added, "A friend of mine named Krista once said to me 'I heard save me a thousand times, and always felt it, but it never cut me deeper than when I heard it from the woman's perspective' and that's what you [Wilson] do every day of life, you inspired women and make them feel heard and seen. you are of the best humans I've ever encountered."