Rajae el Mouhandiz is a versatile, Rotterdam-based performing artist, creator and creative entrepreneur. A composer, singer, theatre and film maker, she is also the founder of the Ellae Foundation, a platform dedicated to empowering women in the arts and creative industries. In addition to her artistic work, she is a highly sought-after speaker. In her lectures, she shares her personal journey with the audience, from her beginnings as a pioneer in the art world to her current role as a mentor for new generations of female creators.
Through community projects such as MUSLIMA: Art & Voices and her latest exhibition, which explores 4,000 years of women in art and is set to open at the World Museum Rotterdam in 2026, Rajae breathes new life into forgotten histories and reimagines heritage.
All her work is underpinned by research — she delves deep into cultural traditions and musical heritage before translating them into contemporary art forms. This can be heard in her latest project, Love Supreme, which is a musical and spiritual journey inspired by John Coltrane’s legendary jazz album and the Afro-Moroccan Gnawa heritage. It is an ode to the unifying power of music and mysticism. It invites listening, feeling, and discovery for anyone open to intercultural dialogue and the spiritual depth of music.
