Fans connect with Jelly Roll because of his honesty and vulnerability.
FullCircle
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason Bradley DeFord, isn’t just one of country music’s biggest stars. He’s also the most authentic. Fans don’t connect with him simply because of his music, which is worthy enough to earn him three Grammys this year. They also connect with him because of his honesty and vulnerability. He openly talks about addiction, prison, mental health and second chances. That emotional connection has become part of his brand.
The challenge came when that connection needed to continue long after his concerts were over.
After winning the Grammys, his merchandise sales exploded, and tens of thousands of fans interacted online. Answering every message became impossible. Could AI help? That’s part of the question. The second part was whether AI could preserve the authenticity that his fans had come to expect.
That’s where Ananya Jain McLaughlin, CEO of FullCircle, came in. Rather than using AI simply to automate customer and fan communication, she built a system designed around behavioral science, using technology to create responses that feel personal, empathetic and true to Jelly Roll’s voice.
I had a chance to sit down with McLaughlin for an interview on Amazing Business Radio and she shared the full story about Jelly Roll and emphasized that any type of business can do the same.
Emotion Is the Product
McLaughlin said that people don’t buy a Jelly Roll T-shirt because they need another T-shirt. They buy it because of how Jelly Roll makes them feel. They connect with his music, his honesty and his story. This is a way for them to be emotionally connected to him.
That’s why every interaction matters, even something as mundane as an order confirmation or shipping update.
The Right Words, Said the Right Way, Matter
McLaughlin believes these moments deserve more attention than most companies give them. Many companies overlook the emotional impact routine customer communications have on revenue. Rather than treating emails and text messages as simple status updates, she combines behavioral science with AI to make every message feel more personalized.
Consider the customer who ordered a Jelly Roll T-shirt to wear to an upcoming concert. If the order was delayed, a typical automated message might simply state that the shipment is delayed. While keeping the customer updated, it does nothing to soften the bad news.
McLaughlin’s approach is different. She knows that how bad news is delivered matters. An impersonal delay message can weaken a fan’s emotional connection to Jelly Roll, triggering a wave of refunds that can quickly erode an artist’s revenue. The message must acknowledge the customer’s purchase history and excitement, recognize the disappointment of the delay, explain what happens next and thank them for being a fan. The facts don’t change, but the feeling does.
According to McLaughlin, that small shift in how buyers were notified of a delay reduced refund requests while strengthening the relationship with Jelly Roll’s fans. According to McLaughlin, that modification in how they were notified of delays significantly reduced refund requests by a whopping 37%, all while strengthening fans’ personal connection to the artist.
Protect Trust at All Costs
The approach isn’t just about being nice. It’s about protecting trust. McLaughlin said that once you kill trust, it’s really hard to earn it back. “Every automated message either strengthens or weakens a customer’s relationship with a brand.”
This lesson goes far beyond country music. Whether you’re selling concert merch, airline tickets, software or insurance, customers rarely buy just the product. They buy because of a connection to the brand or an affiliation with someone (a friend, family member, colleague or even an “influencer”) who recommended it. AI used the wrong way can steal that emotion away rather than reinforce the connection and strengthen trust in the relationship.
Choose Your AI Partners Carefully
McLaughlin shared one final insight that applies to every leader considering AI as part of the customer experience. She warns to pay close attention to the companies you choose to partner with. “The way they make you feel while you’re working with them is a good indication of how they’ll make your customers feel too.”
I’ve always said that technology is built by people to be used by people. If a technology vendor focuses only on automation, efficiency and reducing headcount, don’t be surprised if the customer sees doing business with you as just a transaction. But if the people behind the technology understand empathy and trust, there’s a much better chance the technology and systems they build for you will reflect those values.
Don’t just evaluate an AI platform based on what it can do. Evaluate the people behind it based on how they think about your customers.
Final Words
While this article used Jelly Roll as an example, don’t be fooled into thinking this is about him. Instead, see his success as a case study for how you communicate and interact with your customers. They want to trust you, so don’t give them reasons not to.
This is a lesson for every business, especially those using AI to communicate with customers. As AI becomes a bigger part of the customer experience, remember that technology should reinforce the reasons customers choose to do business with you. AI shouldn’t replace the personality of a business. It should amplify it.