Karima El Fillali (1987) grew up between Dutch and Moroccan cultures, shaped by music and spirituality. Her mother introduced her to singing and baroque church music, while her father shared Islam and Moroccan recordings, through which she discovered Oum Kalthoum.

Drawn to her heritage, she traveled to Morocco to study Arabic and immerse herself in traditions like gnawa and classical singing. Under a Sufi master, she dedicated herself to tarab, music that evokes deep emotional and spiritual states. Back in the Netherlands, she became known for her interpretations of Oum Kalthoum as well as experimental work blending African, European, and Middle Eastern influences. She has collaborated with Oumou Sangaré and Mahmoud Guinia, and received an Award of Honor from Morocco’s Minister of Culture.