Jelly Roll has shared the story behind his uplifting new single, ‘Hands Up’, and it all started with a mountain - both literally and, you could argue, metaphorically.

In a new Instagram post, the star reveals that he found himself standing at the summit of a hike he decided to tackle on a whim, admitting that such a feat would have been “impossible” not that long ago before his remarkable weight loss transformation.

Throwing his hands into the air, he ended with, “God is great y’all. God is so great.”

It's a simple moment, but one that perfectly sums up everything ‘Hands Up’ is about through this heartfelt post.

Fans are likely to recognise the song after Jelly Roll debuted it during his headline set at CMA Fest, and took it on the road with Post Malone's Big Ass Stadium Tour, Part 2. But the official video, which arrived last week, adds another layer entirely.

Rather than filming on a Hollywood set, Jelly took 'Hands Up' inside San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, performing alongside the men currently living there.

There are no actors, no extras and no attempt to glamourise prison life. Just real people and a song about hope. It is a place Jelly understands in a way few artists could.

Long before the stadiums, from the age of 14 he spent years moving in and out of juvenile detention and jail. He was serving time for drug dealing when he learned he had become a father, a moment he has repeatedly described as the beginning of his decision to change. His past is not something being borrowed for the video.

It is the reason he can walk into that room and speak to the people inside without judgement. This is what country music is all about, giving someone the platform to share their story, because country music fans listen because of the stories. The choice of location is particularly poignant. Jelly wasn’t incarnated here, but San Quentin carries its own remarkable history.

Johnny Cash's legendary prison performances helped change the conversation around inmates, while a young Merle Haggard was inspired to pursue music after watching Cash perform while serving time himself. Nearly seven decades later, Jelly has walked through those same gates with a message that feels just as rooted in second chances, but also faith in the notion that where you start isn’t where you have to finish. There is no artist in today's scene that epitomes this message like Jelly Roll.

Hands up is out now on all major streaming platforms, with the video released on July 17th.