POV: you're watching Yasmina Moonlight's rise in real time

Cosmopolitan ME

4 days ago

In a world that moves at the speed of a scroll, Yasmina Moonlight stands still. The Tajik singer, who first captured hearts on The X Factor with her viral performance of Nasini El Donya, is not chasing the noise, she's building something intentional.
As she steps into her moment, Yasmina opens up to Cosmo ME about feminine power, self-trust, and the quiet kind of confidence that doesn't demand attention, but earns it.
Top and trousers: The Kript
Earrings: Elisabetta Franchi
Bangle: COS
Shoes: Joanna Heeled Sandals in Gold, Sam Edelman
Cosmo: Yasmina, you're the cover star of our Summer Issue! What does this cover mean to you at this point in your journey?
Yasmina: This cover is such an unforgettable opportunity. For the first time, I feel like I'm truly being seen for who I am and what I do. It's not just about the image on the outside, but everything I've poured into my music, my art, and my story. Reaching this point feels like confirmation that I've been walking the right path all along. It hasn't always been easy, but moments like this remind me that it's finally my time to shine and I'm ready.
Cosmo: How do you describe yourself right now, in one sentence?
Yasmina: A soulful force of nature blending vulnerability, strength, and stardust.
Cosmo: Your name, Moonlight, feels symbolic. What's the story behind it?
Yasmina: My name Moonlight represents light in the darkness. I try to shine through tough times, bringing comfort through my voice and presence. Choosing Moonlight is my way of saying I'm soft but strong. I don't need to shout to be seen. I illuminate in my own way. And lastly, it's a symbol of my religion.
Cosmo: As a Tajik Gen Z woman, you're navigating multiple layers of identity tradition, rebellion, visibility, softness. How do you hold space for all those versions of yourself?
Yasmina: Growing up as a Tajik girl in the UAE, I carry a mix of worlds within me. The deep-rooted traditions of my culture, the evolving lens of my generation, the softness I was raised with, and the rebellion I've grown into. Holding space for all those parts hasn't been easy, but I've learned to stop apologising for being more than one thing. Growing up in the UAE added even more complexity. It gave me exposure to so many cultures but also made me cling tighter to my own.
Cosmo: Do you ever feel pressure to represent the culture and how do you stay true to your roots?
Yasmina: I do feel that pressure sometimes, especially as someone who comes from a culture that isn't widely represented on the global stage. But I don't feel pressure to represent my culture in a forced way. I carry my heritage with pride. I honour my roots in how I live, speak, and in the respect I hold for my family and community.
Skort: Mango
Top: Magda Butrym
Head scarf: Magda Butrym
Bracelets and rings: Swarovski
Cosmo: What does being Tajik mean to you in 2025, especially in the online world where narratives are constantly being reshaped?
Yasmina: Being Tajik in 2025 means holding onto something ancient while living in a world that moves at the speed of a scroll. In the online space I feel a deep responsibility to where I come from.
Cosmo: What's your creative process really like behind the scenes?
Yasmina: Creating is so intentional for me. But what people don't always see is how difficult it can be behind the scenes. Before I release anything, I overthink, second-guess, rewrite, and change things so many times. Some days I love what I create, other days I question it. It's emotional and vulnerable because I care deeply. What I share isn't just content, it's a piece of me.
Cosmo: We're living in an age of constant performance. How do you protect your inner world while still showing up for your audience?
Yasmina: We really are living in a time where everything feels like a performance, even our silence can be misread. For me, protecting my inner world is non-negotiable. That's where my art is born, and if I lose that, I lose my truth. I pull back when I need to. I create in private before I share. I journal, sit with my feelings, and talk to the people who remind me who I am. When I show up, it's from alignment, not obligation. I'd rather post less and be real than perform constantly and lose what makes my work meaningful. At the end of the day, I'm not here to impress. I'm here to connect. And that starts by staying connected to myself.
Dress: Elisabetta Franchi
Sunglasses: Dolce&Gabbana
Earrings: COS
Bangle (right hand): COS
Bangle (left hand): Swarovski
Shoes: Tillie Sandals in Amber Multi, Sam Edelman
Cosmo: Is there a moment in your career that felt like a spiritual click? A time when you thought, yes, this is exactly who I'm meant to be?
Yasmina: The moment I stepped on the X Factor stage and sang Nasini El Donya, something in me clicked. I wasn't just performing, I was fully alive and fully me. I could feel every note in my bones, and I knew without a doubt this is where I'm meant to be. When that performance went viral, it wasn't about the numbers. It was about being heard in my most honest form. Of course, it was nerve-wracking. I cried after my audition, not out of sadness, but because it hit me how much I care. I always want to give my best, and that moment reminded me why I keep showing up, heart first.
Cosmo: You speak often about feminine power, softness, and self-awareness. How do you define power now? Has that changed for you over time?
Yasmina: For a long time, I thought power had to be loud, unshakable, always in control. But I've come to realiae real power, especially feminine power, can be incredibly soft. It's not about dominance, it's about presence. It's having the strength to feel deeply, to be gentle in a world that rewards hardness, and to hold space for yourself without shrinking or explaining. Power now lives in self-awareness. In knowing who I am and who I'm not. In saying no without guilt, expressing emotion without shame, and choosing to show up as myself, not as who people expect me to be. That kind of power is quiet, but it transforms everything.
Dress and head scarf: Magda Butrym
Sunglasses: Rewrites Eyewear
Bangle and ring: Swarovski
Shoes: Bianka Sling Heels in Rose Multi, Sam Edelman
Cosmo: What's something you're currently healing from emotionally, spiritually, or creatively?
Yasmina: There are quite a few things I'm healing from, both past and recent experiences that shook me in ways I didn't expect. But one of the deepest wounds I'm working through is the loss of people I once believed were meant to stay in my life. It's a hard kind of grief, realising some people were lessons, mirrors, or reminders. Letting go has been painful but necessary. I'm learning to release what I thought love or connection should look like, and open space for what truly aligns with who I'm becoming.
Cosmo: When you're not on, not posting and not performing, who are you?
Yasmina: When I'm not on, I'm simply myself. A regular girl at home, grounding in the quiet. I spend time with my cat, write songs, pray, go to the gym, and just be. Those moments are sacred. They remind me who I am without the noise. I value time with my family. I reflect, recharge, and reconnect.
Top: Magda Butrym
Capri pants: & Other Stories
Earrings: & Other Stories
Bracelet: Swarovski
Shoes: Phoebe Embellished Mules in Beechwood, Sam Edelman
Cosmo: What's the most important thing you want Tajik and Arab Gen Z girls to know not just about success, but about self-trust?
Yasmina: I know what it feels like to question yourself, to wonder if your dreams are too big or your truth too complicated. But here's what I've learned. Self-trust is choosing to believe in yourself even when no one else does. It's honouring your feelings, your timing, your gut. It's letting your no be enough, and your yes come from alignment not pressure. Your worth isn't something you earn through perfection or performance, it's something you own by simply being you. Self-trust is quiet. It's not about proving anything. It's about showing up for yourself again and again.
Cosmo: When the cameras are off and the season shifts, what do you want to leave behind from this chapter and what are you taking with you?
Yasmina: When the cameras are off and the season shifts, I'm leaving behind lessons on self-trust, the evolving meaning of success, and the quiet strength of feminine power. I've learned that confidence doesn't come from being seen, it comes from knowing who you are when no one's watching. I'm letting go of the urge to rush or prove. Your time will come when it's meant to and no one can take away what's destined for you. If you lead with your heart, work with intention, and stay aligned with your truth, you can achieve anything. Dreams aren't distant. They're built moment by moment. As this chapter closes, I'm taking with me clarity, courage, and the quiet knowing that I'm exactly where I'm meant to be and the best is still unfolding.
Swimsuit: Taller Maro
Earrings: Swarovski
Shoes: Bay Jelly Slides in Calypso Mint, Sam Edelman
Editorial Director: Milli Midwood
Deputy Editor: Sara-Aisha Kent
Photographer: Daron Bandeira
Stylist: Joyce Gereige
Senior producer: Steff Hawker
Hair & Make Up Artist: Aida Glow
Styling Assistant: Lucy Semaan
Lighting Assistant: James Aquillano
Junior Content Producer: Quinn Catabui
Junior Assistant: Kate Simmons
Location: Maison De La Plage