Jelly Roll spoke from the heart when asked what he thought of Morgan Wallen. During a recent interview, the “Halfway to Heaven” singer also reflected on Zach Bryan.

• Jelly Roll appeared on the Full Send Podcast on Jan. 9.
• The wide-ranging interview also touches on his time in jail, the Bible and what defines country music.
• Previously, he gave a vigorous defense of Lainey Wilson.

Related: Jelly Roll Shares the Secret to Lainey Wilson’s Success

Wallen is arguably the most popular artist in country music in 2024, but he’s yet to gather major awards (zero Grammy nominations in 2024) or widespread critical acclaim. Fans say the industry is still trying to cancel him after he was caught using a racial slur on camera in 2021. Jelly Roll sees past that.

“The streams give him the credit he deserves, but critically he’s more brilliant than he gets credit for,” he tells the podcast’s hosts.

Is a Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen Song Coming?

Wallen and Jelly Roll haven’t worked together publicly or released a song together, but “Save Me” hitmaker previously told Holler Country it was “inevitable.” During this interview, it’s clear the Nashville native has a deep respect for the attention he and Bryan have brought to the genre. These two, he says, are doing it by themselves.

“They brought the national spotlight to the rest of us, we’re all just trying to get a little piece of that sunshine they brought over here,” he shares.

“He’s truly brilliant,” Roll tells the podcast’s hosts.

Those quotes are kind of generic, but Jelly Roll didn’t stop there: He praised Wallen’s voice and songwriting as well as his understanding of the business. Then, he qualified the comments.

“There’s no harder town to cut your teeth in than Nashville,” he says. “I’ve wrote in L.A., I’ve wrote in New York … (Nashville is) the f—in’ UFC of songwriting.”

What Did Morgan Wallen Say About Jelly Roll?

The respect between Jelly Roll and Morgan Wallen is mutual. Wallen told Country Countdown USA‘s Lon Helton that Ernest introduced him to Jelly Roll, and they hit it off instantly.

“He’s always really respectful,” Wallen says. “I see how other people treat other people who may not have as much stature as me or as much success as me, and I see him treat them the same. That’s what I look for when it comes to a man.”