Jamiroquai Singer Says Capitol Rioter In The Viking Helmet Isn’t Him

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images; Dave Etheridge-Barnes/Getty Images

Jamiroquai Singer Says Capitol Rioter In The Viking Helmet Isn’t Him

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images; Dave Etheridge-Barnes/Getty Images

The most memorable character from the pro-Trump insurrection at the Capitol yesterday was the man wearing some bizarre combination of a viking helmet and a Davy Crockett raccoon cap, his face fully painted, his shirtless arms and torso covered in tattoos. The man is Jake Angeli, an Arizona resident known as the “QAnon Shaman.” (Sigh.) But some observers mistook him for the lead singer from Jamiroquai.

Jay Kay, the British man best known for his impressive dancing in the “Virtual Insanity” video, also has a reputation for outlandish headwear. Over the years that has included a number of eye-catching hats, most famously the giant one from the video. Most recently he’s been performing in some kind of elaborate fantasy/sci-fi crown that makes him look like a member of Empire Of The Sun, which debuted in the “Automaton” video. And about a decade ago he was often performing in a Native American headdress, sometimes with face paint. This was supposed to be an earnest tribute reflecting his interest in indigenous culture — the band name is literally Jam Iroquois — but it was still in bad taste. And now it’s come back to bite Jay Kay.

As Page Six points out, Jamiro-guy has taken to Twitter to clarify that no, he isn’t the guy from the Capitol riot. “Good Morning Washington, loving the headgear, but not sure that’s my crowd,” he writes. “Stay safe everyone, J xxx.” The messages comes with a video in which Jay Kay speaks the following words in a mock Southern accent: “Good morning world! Now some of you may be thinking you saw me in Washington last night, but I’m afraid I wasn’t with all those freaks.” He soon moves on to lamenting that he can’t tour during lockdown, urging fans to be safe, and critiquing the treatment of animals.

Jay Kay’s message is viewable below.

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