NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A group of elementary school students from Nashville brought music star Jelly Roll to tears during an emotional performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
The music class from Ruby Major Elementary School performed Jelly Roll's "I Am Not Okay" on the legendary stage, creating a moment where there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
These young performers first gained attention when they sang the same song for students at Antioch High School following a school shooting there.
"Music can change your whole life," one student said after their Opry debut.
Before taking the stage, the children prepared like seasoned performers — styling their hair with gel, bows and braids, and holding one final rehearsal. Their music teacher, known as Mr. K, offered reassurance to nervous students.
"Are you ok? I was crying before because I was so scared," one student confessed, receiving a comforting hug from their teacher who reminded them: "It's all about having fun tonight."
Mr. K expressed pride in his students before the performance.
"They're just awesome, smart and talented. I'm excited to share that with the world and for Mr. Jelly Roll to see it as well," he said.
Jelly Roll, who graduated from Antioch High School, was deeply moved by the children's performance. He explained how he discovered the young singers after the NewsChannel 5 story was emailed to him while doing "American Idol" and immediately wanted to involve them after seeing their story.
"My old high school had a tragedy last year," Jelly Roll said. "Music is powerful and can help at any point in their lives ... and these kids made me wanna cry."
The emotional impact was evident throughout the performance.
"We're all gonna be ok. Sing it for me louder, who's holding on for dear life," Jelly Roll encouraged the children during their song.
"I've never seen emotion like that from them. They saw the crowd, and the crowd was so into them, and they were so loud, and they just started bawling and Jelly Roll started bawling. It was awesome," Mr. K said.
One student described the experience: "I cried right after it. I cried with my full tears. It was amazing."
The children also presented Jelly Roll with a Ruby Major Elementary jersey, and according to Mr. K, the music star plans to stay connected with their school's music program.
Mr. K summed up the impact of the evening: "It was four minutes, you know, but that four minutes has transformed me and I know it's gonna transform their lives."
This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you know these talented students or have a similar story about music's impact on young lives? I want to hear about it. Email me at Amanda.Roberts@NewsChannel5.com
