Jelly Roll is opening up about his fatherhood journey after returning home from jail.

During the March 3 episode of the SmartLess podcast, the “All My Life” singer, 40, opened up to hosts Jason Bateman, 56, Sean Hayes, 54, and Will Arnett, 54, about his visitation rights and building a relationship with his daughter Bailee Ann, 17, after he was released from jail.

“I got home when she was almost 2,” he recalled. “Her mother, at the time, because I was rightfully so a f—— criminal, wouldn’t let me see her. So I had to go to court. I had to get supervised visits through the courtroom.”

“I had to step that very slow, build a relationship, then six hours on Friday evening, but she had to be home before 10 p.m. I just had to I had to keep going to the court every six months and going, ‘Look, I’m continuing to prove I’m changing,’ ” he continued. “Music, like being famous, wasn’t even a thought then. I just wanted to be a good dad.”

Jelly Roll and his daughter Bailee Ann.  Amy Sussman/Getty 

The proud dad, who also has a son named Noah, 8, also reflected on his daughter’s growth throughout the years during the podcast.

“Fast forward, that same little girl that was born when I was incarcerated is fixing to turn 17 years old,” he said. “She’s got one of the highest GPAs at her high school. She’s a dual enrollment kid and is a junior going to college. Me and my wife have had full custody of her for eight years. This is one of our best friends.”

The country music singer has repeatedly shared how the birth of his daughter in 2008 forever changed his life for the better. On the day she was born, Jelly Roll was in prison for drug dealing.

“I could no longer be selfish. There was something that was solely relying on me,” Jelly Roll openly shared with 105.7 The Point. “I knew that that was an important task. So I wanted to take it seriously. And I did. I take it very seriously to this day.”

Jelly Roll, his wife Bunnie Xo and and his daughter Bailee Ann.Kevin Mazur/Getty

In a November 2024 cover story, Jelly Roll spoke with PEOPLE about how his close-knit family helped him focus on a brighter future and how they remain pillars of support as stardom continues to rock his world.

“I prioritize family, and that’s what anchors me down,” he said. “Everything that I believe going right for me is in the fact that I’m pretty grounded in my family.”

Though he admitted to PEOPLE his daughter doesn’t love how his recent fame has “taken away from the us time,” she recognizes the good it’s doing their family.

“We were really, really close before it exploded, but she understands what it’s doing for her future and the family’s future,” he said. “She’s a really hammered down kid. She’s been in the same public school district for 10 years and had the same friends since me and Bunnie have had custody of her. I think a lot of that has helped.”