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The Voice winner Jermain Jackman turned away from his own party because his haircut 'might be gang affiliated'

The singer said that he was barred from a nightclub

Helen Nianias
Wednesday 03 June 2015 15:08 BST
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Old head on young shoulders: Jermain Jackman, 20, delayed his first album
Old head on young shoulders: Jermain Jackman, 20, delayed his first album (Charlie Forgham-Bailey)

The Voice winner Jermain Jackman has said that he was prevented from entering a nightclub for his own after-party.

The singer said that he was barred from his own after-party. Jackman claims he was kept outside by security guards while other people from his group, which included X Factor and Voice contestants, were let in.

"I remember standing outside a Mayfair club after finishing a big performance with a couple of other contestants off The Voice and The X Factor and other TV shows," he says.

"I remember standing outside for an hour and I was hearing excuse after excuse from the bouncers."

Jackman said that he was helped in by an event organiser, but one of his friends - who was Turkish - could still not gain entry, he told the BBC. He did not specify which nightclub this was.

The singer also spoke of not being allowed into a venue as security believed his hairstyle could be "gang affiliated".

"I remember one of the security guards saying 'We don't know your haircut, it might be a gang-affiliated type of haircut,'" he said.

He spoke out in order to highlight issue of people being turned away from venues due to their race.

The singer's claims came after he read a story about black students being barred from a nightclub in Leicester.

The group attempted to enter Ghost nightclub in May, and were not allowed to enter because of their race. A video shows the doorman telling the students: "I have no problems with you guys at all, but that is the rules of the club".

Student Kosi Orah said they were told they weren't allowed in because there was "a quota of the number of black people allowed in the club".

A spokesperson for Ghost Nightclub said: "We sincerely and unreservedly apologise to all those involved, his friends and the citizens of Leicester."

Jackman often discusses broader social issues during interviews. Speaking to newspaper The Voice earlier this year, he urged young people to vote in the General Election.

He said: "Young people today are very socially aware. They know what’s going on in their community. They see the crime, the social injustice and the struggle."

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