It was a night Lily and her family will never forget — a moment of pure magic made possible by Jelly Roll’s heartfelt gesture on stage.
As the crowd buzzed with excitement, Jelly Roll knelt beside Lily, a young fan with a dream and a voice to match. Without hesitation, he handed her the microphone and let her sing a portion of his song, completely unrehearsed. The crowd’s roar rose to a crescendo as Lily belted out the lyrics, standing tall and fearless in a moment that seemed to pause time itself.
Her father, Van Colen, stood nearby, overwhelmed. “We were overwhelmed with emotion — pride, awe, and honestly just disbelief,” he shared. “Seeing her hold her own in such a big moment, completely unrehearsed, was something we’ll never forget. It felt like time stopped.”
After their impromptu duet, Jelly Roll embraced Lily in a hug and raised her hand triumphantly, prompting another explosion of applause from the audience. His words to her struck a chord that will surely echo in her heart forever:
“Thank you so much for coming up here and singing with me, sweet, young lady,” he said. “I hope you remember that moment for the rest of your life; and more importantly, I hope you remember that anytime you hear that voice in your head telling you that you’re not awesome, that is the voice of a liar, because you can do anything you want to do in life.”
For Lily, who has been singing since she could talk — at home, in the car, and on her YouTube channel — it was the kind of validation only dreams are made of. She’s always connected with Jelly Roll’s music, moved by the honesty and emotional depth in his lyrics. His own journey, full of raw truth and redemption, resonates with her in a way that transcends age.
“He’s my favorite singer because his songs are so real and full of feelings,” Lily said. “I’ll never forget how kind he was to me. I want to keep working hard so I can sing on big stages like that one day too.”
Her father wishes he had more time to personally thank the artist who made his daughter feel so seen and valued. “We’d say thank you — from the bottom of our hearts,” Van Colen expressed. “Thank you for seeing her, for giving her that moment, and for showing kindness to a little girl with a big dream. You didn’t just let her sing. You gave her the kind of memory that will stay with her forever. She’ll never forget it — and neither will we.”
It was more than just a performance — it was a defining moment, one that captured the true power of music, kindness, and believing in someone’s potential.
