NIGHTBIRDE wowed audiences with her stunning vocals on Season 16 of America’s Got Talent, before being forced to leave the show to focus on her health.
Sadly she passed away in 2022, leaving AGT fans and the judges devastated.
Why did Nightbirde leave AGT?
Nightbirde, also known as Jane Marczewski, chose to leave season 16 of AGT to focus on her battle with stage 4 breast cancer.
The then 30-year-old, who impressed judge Simon Cowell so much with her audition that he decided to send the singer straight to the live shows, announced that her cancer had taken a turn for the worse.
During her audition, Nightbirde revealed to the judges that her cancer had spread to her lungs, spine and liver, and that doctors had only given her a two per cent chance of survival.
In July 2020 the singer went into remission, although the cancer later returned.
Nightbirde made one final appearance on AGT via Zoom to explain the reasoning behind her withdrawal.
Simon Cowell, who broke down in tears, said that she had “already won” in the eyes of America and told her that she “hasn’t let anyone down”.
When did Nightbirde pass away?
Despite months of treatment, Nightbirde passed away on February 20, 2022.
It was after her cancer reportedly spread to her lungs, spine, and liver – she was just 31-years-old.
In December 2021, she was posted on social media saying it was a “miracle” to “even be alive” then added a month later that things had gotten “pretty brutal”.
What did Simon Cowell say about Nightbirdie?
During an episode of America’s Got Talent on July 5, 2022 Simon commented on the late Nightbirde.
He reflected on the last time he spoke with her during the show.
“The last time I saw her, she did say what that [Golden Buzzer] moment meant to her,” he said tearfully.
The moment came after the judges went through their favorite Golden Buzzer moments from the show and Simon picked Nightbirde’s audition as his favorite.
What did Nightbirde say about leaving AGT?
At the time of her withdrawal from AGT, Nightbirde took to Instagram to talk about her feelings about not being on stage for the finals.
The late star wrote: “It’s so hard for me to not be on the @agt stage for the finals this week I bet you never saw someone win so hard and lose so hard at the same time. This isn’t how the story was supposed to go.
“I spend a lot of time squeezing my eyes shut and trying to remember what I believe; counting my breaths in the grief cloud; burying my face into God’s t-shirt.”
“I remind Him sometimes, (and not kindly) that I believed Him when He told me the story He wrote for me is good, and that He never stops thinking of me,” she continued.
“I must be a fool in love, because even from under all this debris, I still believe Him. And when I’m too angry to ask Him to sit on my bed until I fall asleep, He still stays…I’m raging and crying and hoping with everyone who needs to rage and cry and hope tonight. Also wishing on helium balloons. 
.”
