Singer Jane Marczewski (31), who went by the stage name Nightbirde, lost her battle with breast cancer on Saturday, February 19, 2022.
The former Liberty University student became a household name after she warmed the hearts of America’s Got Talent (AGT) fans last June with her powerful performance and testimony.
Marczewski was a three-time cancer survivor, and during her AGT performance last year, she shared that her cancer had returned. Before singing her original song titled “It’s Okay,” she told AGT judge Simon Cowell that she wasn’t in great health, saying, “Last time I checked, I had some cancer in my lungs, and in my spine, and in my liver.”
The matter-of-fact Cowell was left nearly speechless and could only respond with a somber, “Wow.”
AGT judge Howie Mandel said, “So, you’re not okay.”
“Well, not in every way, no,” Marczewski said. “It’s important that everyone knows: I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me.”
Marczewski’s talented voice and songwriting moved Cowell so much that he pressed the shows coveted Golden Buzzer, which automatically sends the performer to the live portion of the show.
“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy,” Marczewski said. “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.”
Unfortunately, Marczewski’s AGT journey was cut short. She announced a month later that she had to drop out of the competition because her battle with cancer had continued to deteriorate her health.
Nightbirde’s AGT appearance landed her spots on news programs, music charts, podcasts, and regular rotations at Christian radio stations. Marczewski also blogged about her relationship with God and her battle with cancer.
