America’s Got Talent Star Nightbirde Dead At 31 After Cancer Battle

L. F.

In very sad news, America’s Got Talent star Nightbirde passed away on Sunday after a very tough public battle with cancer. She was 31.

Very little information on her final days has been revealed, but AGT host Terry Crews did take to Instagram on Monday to mourn the loss of the talented singer, born Jane Marczewski, writing:

“We are saddened to learn about @_nightbirde’s Passing. Our Condolencesgoes to her Closest Family & Friends in such of This difficult time. We Love you, Nightbirde.”

Nightbirde was a contestant on season 16 of the reality competition series. During her audition, which was filmed last summer, the Zanesville, Ohio native made the heartbreaking reveal that she “had some cancer in my lungs, spine, and my liver.”

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Her diagnosis was very severe as well, as she added:

“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.”

The judges were so touched by her story and original song It’s OK that she earned her Simon Cowell’s Golden Buzzer, sending her straight to the live shows.

Unfortunately, she had to step away from the competition early as her health declined. She opened up about the decision in a lengthy Instagram upload, lamenting:

“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.”

Addressing her faith, the musician continued:

“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. 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.”

She never lost hope though, adding:

“Here we are, you and I, signing off on the risk of REBELLIOUSLY HOPING for better days. Let us not be blind to our own glory. I’m raging and crying and hoping with everyone who needs to rage and cry and hope tonight.”

Despite not being able to perform in the finals, Nightbirde remained close with Simon, who opened up to People about her decision to exit the show, saying:

“It was always her dream for her music to be heard by millions. That’s what’s happened off the back of this.”

It’s true, the songwriter’s audition video has been viewed more than 39 million times on YouTube! It was even the “seventh most viewed video on YouTube” last year. Incredible! She also gained 1 million followers on her Instagram account, where she often updated fans on her health journey and announced the release of new music.

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Simon stayed in constant contact with the songwriter — and it was his advice for her to focus on her health rather than continue on AGT. He told the outlet:

“We talk about once every two weeks. It was a difficult conversation we had about does she enter the show or not. I know that she was very down. I called her and I said that, ‘Honestly if I was in your position, I wouldn’t do it.’ Because you don’t need the stress right now. It’s just not worth it.”

At the time, the X Factor alum was also hopeful that Nightbirde would make a full recovery and have her time to shine without the need of the TV show, concluding:

“You can always re-enter the show or you don’t have to because, at this point, when you put your music out, I think a lot of people are going to buy it. So why put yourself through it. You’re not letting anyone down because that’s what she kept saying to me. You’re not, you’re going to be missed but you’re not letting anyone down.”

Unfortunately it was not meant to be…

See more tributes for the singer (below):

Even in her time of need, she and her music inspired so many. May she rest in peace.

[Image via America’s Got Talent/YouTube]

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