JERMAIN JACKMAN
Author • Songwriter • CEO
Jermain Jackman is a Hackney-born songwriter, author and CEO of Rising Tide, a creative arts youth charity. Jackman has built a successful career spanning music, writing and youth advocacy.
Born at Homerton Hospital to an Afro-Guyanese family, Jackman grew up in Hoxton, discovering his love of singing through his local church. He later joined Hackney Youth Parliament and Hackney Jam. In 2014, at 19 years old he won the third series of BBC’s The Voice UK. In 2021, he contributed to The Place for Me: Stories About the Windrush Generation, a children’s anthology produced with the Black Cultural Archives.
Why Hackney Matters?
Jermain first visited Rising Tide, a former youth club on Mare Street at 11 years old, unbeknownst to him that one day he would help restore it as an influential hub for young people, music and the arts. In 2025, he worked with legendary Reggae artist Leon Leiffer to bring together 30 intergenerational participants to create songs inspired by the history of the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal (BRAFA) in Hackney.
Reflecting on the Legacy Steps, Jermain says:
“Hackney is a place that has shaped my voice, my creativity, my passion and my sense of purpose. I'm incredibly honoured to have my words and journey recognised alongside other Black writers from Hackney, especially as someone who struggled to write as a child. I know the power of words to inspire, challenge and create change. I hope seeing my name here reminds visitors, young and old, that their stories, their voices and their creativity belong in the history of this borough too.”
Did You Know?
In January 2026, Jackman performed at the NBA London Game at The O2, where the Memphis Grizzlies played the Orlando Magic.