Everytime I rewatch this Nightbirde video, I will still drop tears...

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Nightbirde​

Information​

Age (at audition)​

30

Gender​

Female

Act​

Singer

Seasons​

16

Position Reached​

Withdrew

Nightbirde was a singer from Season 16 of America's Got Talent. She withdrew prior to the Quarterfinals on August 2, 2021, because her health had taken a turn for the worse. But, on February 19, 2022, she lost her life at the age of 31, after a long fight with breast cancer.

Background​

Nightbirde's real name is Jane Marczewski and she is from Zanesville, Ohio. She was born in the New Year in 1990. She is originally from Warsaw, Poland,

Audition​

Nightbirde's audition in Episode 1602 consisted of singing her original song "It's Okay". Moved by her performance, Simon Cowell pressed the Golden Buzzer, sending her directly to the Quarterfinals.

Withdrawal​

After receiving the Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell for her performance of her original song "It's OK," Nightbirde was a fan favorite on Season 16 of America's Got Talent. On this date, August 2, 2021, she announced on Instagram that she was leaving and withdrawing the competition because her health had "taken a turn for the worse" due to cancer. In her emotional post, she wrote, "This isn't how the story was supposed to go," but she also said that she still had "rebellious hope".

She appeared in Episode 1610 via video to share her thoughts on her withdrawal.[1]

Health Issues and Death​

Nightbirde was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017, and declared cancer-free in July 2018. The cancer recurred in 2019, and she was given three to six months to live, but she was again declared cancer-free in 2020. Prior to her America's Got Talent audition, Nightbirde was told that the cancer had metastasized to her lungs, spine and liver. With only a 2% chance of survival, she gave health updates on CNN and social media.

According to Nightbirde: "I have a two percent chance of survival, but two percent is not zero percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is."

At the age of 31, after a multi-year battle with breast cancer that had metastasized to her lungs, spine, and liver, Nightbirde died from the disease on February 19, 2022. She was surrounded by her family in her San Clemente, California residence, and they confirmed her death to the public on February 21, 2022.

Her final Instagram post from January 11, 2022, reflected on her struggles while still finding moments of beauty: "We're all a little lost and it's alright".

Following her death, the America's Got Talent community and her fans paid tribute to her bravery and inspirational message.

The AGT judges and host released condolences via social media. A celebration of life, which was livestreamed, was held at Cornerstone Church in Ohio on March 4, 2022.

Posthumous Releases​

In March 2022, Nightbirde's song "It's OK" appeared during an episode of Good Trouble.

In April 2022, her 2021 song "Brave" was released posthumously as a single. The 2019 song "Fly" was officially released by her family on July 4, 2022. The single was later featured in the animated film trailer for The King of Kings (2025).

A 10-track debut album of Nightbirde's music dropped a year after her death (February 19, 2023), by her family and foundation. The title, It's OK, is based on her original song she performed during her AGT audition (season 16).

Another posthumous album, Still Got Dreams, was released February 20, 2025 (three years after her death). The 12-song album features original songs and used ethical AI vocal production in honor of her musical vision. The title track features AGT alumni Mzansi Youth Choir (season 18). Additional singles "Get Up" and "Gold" are included on the album.

Trivia​

• Nightbirde is the first Golden Buzzer in AGT history to withdraw from the live shows.
• Nightbirde is also the first Golden Buzzer in AGT history to pass away. She was followed by Zuri Craig, who was a part of the duo The CraigLewis Band in Season 10.
• She was named Simon Cowell's all-time favorite Golden Buzzer act in the Simon's Favorite Golden Buzzers special.
• Lebanese dance group Mayyas was inspired by Nightbirde to audition for AGT, and they went on to win the competition. Her song "It's Okay" featured in their audition package in Episode 1704.
• Mzansi Youth Choir performed a rendition of her song "It's Okay" for their audition in Episode 1801. They received the first ever Audience Golden Buzzer.