Nightbirde, an America’s Got Talent standout and fan favorite on season 16, has died. She was 31.
The Zanesville, Ohio native, whose real name is Jane Marczewski, died on Sunday, according to TMZ.
“We are saddened to learn about @_nightbirde’s Passing. Our Condolences goes to her Closest Family & Friends in such of This difficult time. We Love you, Nightbirde,” host Terry Crews shared on Instagram Monday.
At the time of her audition, which was filmed last summer, the singer told audiences that she “had some cancer in my lungs, spine and my liver,” adding, “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.”
However, she withdrew from the show weeks later, announcing on social media at the time that she was no longer able to compete as her health had taken a “turn for the worse.”
When the season 16 finale aired in September 2021, the artist opened up about her complicated emotions and missing AGT in a lengthy Instagram post.
“It’s so hard for me to not be on the @agt stage for the finals this week,” she wrote. “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.”
Nightbirde had previously survived breast cancer, but prior to her appearance on AGT in June, she was told the cancer had metastasized to her lungs, spine, and liver and her chance of survival was 2%. However, months later, the Ohio native pulled out of the show to focus on her fight with cancer.
