Ottawa Bluesfest announces additional day of programming, featuring award-winning rapper-turned-country singer JELLY ROLL
After days of speculation it has been confirmed that Jelly Roll will make his Canadian debut this summer with two Ontario stops including July 9 at Ottawa Bluesfest.
The gigs will include a July 8th show at the Meridian Center in St. Catharines, Ontario benefitting the Heather Winterstein Foundation, followed by a July 9 show at Ottawa’s Bluesfest, where he’ll join a lineup that includes Carly Rae Jepsen, Charley Crockett, Future Islands, Killer Mike, Maroon 5 and Mt. Joy, among others.
Ottawa Bluesfest organizers today announced that breakout phenomenon Jelly Roll will be performing on the festival’s RBC Stage on Tuesday, July 9.
With the addition of Jelly Roll to the lineup, Bluesfest will now run for 10 days, with the second week beginning on Tuesday, July 9, rather than Wednesday, July 10,
“When the opportunity to bring in Jelly Roll surfaced, we jumped on it,” says Ottawa Bluesfest executive and artistic director Mark Monahan. “He has an amazing story, and he’s a great performer.”
As an artist and humanitarian, Jelly Roll resonates with fans on a global scale and has earned numerous industry milestones – from playing his sold-out hometown show for 18,000 fans at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena to sold-out dates at the Ryman Auditorium and the release of his critically acclaimed Hulu documentary produced by ABC News, “Save Me.”
Featured by Nightline, GMA, GMA3, The New York Times, The Tennessean, Billboard, Variety, American Songwriter, CMT, and GQ, among others, his self-built, unconventional industry rise and unique fan connection has garnered praise from numerous outlets, with American Songwriter noting, “with a string of accolades and an extremely dedicated following, Jelly Roll has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.”
As a rapper, Jelly Roll first sounded a bit like the Southern hip-hop stars he admired. But when he started singing, the twang in his voice made country music fans pay attention. In 2020, he released an acoustic version of a ballad called “Save Me,” which became his breakthrough.
In 2023, Jelly Roll had three No. 1 country hits and won a Country Music Association Award for best new artist. This year he was nominated for two Grammy Awards: Best New Artist and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Save Me’. Jelly Roll also emerged as the night’s top winner at the 2024 CMT Music Awards in Austin, Texas. He took home three trophies, including the show’s most prestigious Video of the Year, Male Video of the Year, and CMT Performance of the Year—all for his song ‘Need a Favor’.
This will be Jelly Roll’s first trip to Canada, and performing at the Ottawa Bluesfest will mark a special time, both for his fans and for his burgeoning career.
The Ottawa Bluesfest programming team has also confirmed that Shaboozey—an American musician, singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and record producer—will be performing on July 9, in direct support of Jelly Roll.
Shaboozey’s music combines hip hop, country, rock, and Americana. He gained attention for “Start a Riot” with Duckwrth, from the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018.
Tickets for July 9th go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 19 here: https://ottawabluesfest.frontgatetickets.com/
For anyone who has a Full Festival Pass, July 9th is automatically included.
More details at www.ottawabluesfest.com
