“My body is a way of rebelling, and a canvas for telling my story”

Jaouad Alloul is a multidisciplinary artist and self-made creative entrepreneur. An Antwerp native with Moroccan roots, he is a colourful mix of hybrid identities. As a theatre maker, musician, singer, activist, presenter, business manager, drag queen and fashionist, Jaouad showcases themes of gender and identity based on his own experiences and does not shy away from controversial issues.

The search for his true identity as a Muslim and gay man, among other things, led him to insights as an artist that give him a special perspective on society. His activism comes to the fore when he builds bridges between his multiple identities.

In 2019, as JAOUAD, he created the musical theatre performance #messias, a jazzy-funky theatre concert with poetic influences. That same year he also made the monologue De Meisje with MartHa!tentatief, and in 2017 he made the production Zeemeermin with BeHuman. As ambassador for the Week van het Nederlands (Dutch language week), he made the colourful performance Taal is macht (Language is power) together with Elfie Tromp.

In 2020, Jaouad was selected by the NRC newspaper as one of the 101 new talents in the cultural arena. In the same year, he was selected by the jury of Het Theaterfestival as #newjong (#newyoung).