The Voice winner Jermain Jackman: 'My album features Sam Smith, Pharrell Williams sound'

He was crowned the 2014 champion of The Voice after winning over the hearts of the nation with his stunning rendition of Motown classic, A House Is Not A Home. Now almost a year after emerging victorious, Jermain Jackman is releasing his self-titled debut album and first single, How Will I Know.

Speaking to IBTimes UK about his labour of love, the 20-year-old singer revealed that fans can expect a mixed bag including emotive love songs like the ones that dominate Sam Smith's In The Lonely Hour to feel-good tracks with a Pharrell Williams sound.

"As an artist I love all aspects of music. There are songs on the album which are on the Sam Smith Stay With Me spectrum and there are a lot of songs that are on the Pharrell spectrum. It's just music that I love and music that I grew up listening to," Jackman said of the 12-track record.

"All those sounds convey who I am as an artist. There's nothing too radical, nothing too extreme. But they're all on the spectrum of Motown. There's a mixed vibe of emotions in the album. There's some happy songs, some slow songs, some 'don't take the mick with me!' songs."

How Will I Know, Jackman's first single, was recorded back in 2014, around the time his beloved grandmother passed away. But despite his heartbreak, the London-based star says he was determined not to go down the predictable sad ballad route.

"It's one of those feel good type of songs and as you said, it was recorded when my granny was suffering from throat cancer. I remember I was flying from New York straight over into London on that night I had to record How Will I Know. Emotions were high, I was crying on the plane for six hours... but I used that emotion and conveyed it in a different way," Jackman said.

Jackman's debut album and single are out now.