Season 16 of America's Got Talent has delivered some of the most uniquely talented acts that have taken the show's stage in recent memory, and one standout was Jane Marczewski, a.k.a. Nightbirde. She made an immediate impression on judges and viewers alike as a singer, to the point that she won the golden buzzer from Simon Cowell himself. Her personal story was as impactful as her performance of "IT'S OK" as she revealed her cancer battle, and now the singer has shared with fans that she has pulled out of the "dream come true" of AGT Season 16.
Nightbirde, who was a favorite to win Season 16 and take the $1 million prize, made the sad announcement via Instagram, posting:
Sharing my heart with the world on AGT has been an honor and a dream come true. My point of view this summer has been astounding. What a miracle that the pain I’ve walked through can be reworked into beauty that makes people all over the world open their eyes wider. Since my audition, my health has taken a turn for the worse and the fight with cancer is demanding all of my energy and attention. I am so sad to announce that I won’t be able to continue forward on this season of AGT. Life doesn’t always give breaks to those that deserve it—but we knew that already.
Nightbirde was candid about her situation in the post announcing that she won't be able to continue in America's Got Talent, where she had been guaranteed advancement to the next stage of competition thanks to the very well-deserved golden buzzer. That said, she had nothing but good things to say about her AGT journey and how she has been able to use her talents as a singer to reach a wide audience, so there is some sweetness in her message despite the bitterness of the news.
She went on in her message to thank everybody for the support she received after making her America's Got Talent debut, and expressed that she's still planning her future rather than her legacy, showing an optimistic spirit despite all of the challenges that she has faced. Take at Nightbirde's full post and the image she chose for her message:
Nightbirde was open about her cancer battle when she made her AGT debut, when she shared that she hasn't been working for "quite a few years" because she's been dealing with cancer, and the original song "IT'S OK" is about the past year of her life. When Simon Cowell asked how she was at the time of her audition, she explained that there was cancer in her lungs, spine, and liver.
In the interview after she tearfully received her golden buzzer (and a hug from Simon Cowell), she shared her 2% chance of survival, but she wasn't giving up. And the judges weren't done raving about her even after she stepped off the stage. Even though Nightbirde won't be able to continue her AGT journey, she made an impact with her performance of "IT'S OK." Take a look:
Our thoughts here at CinemaBlend are with Nightbirde in this difficult time. Even though she won't continue the journey of trying to reach the title of AGT champion for Season 16, she's one of the most memorable – if not the most memorable – performers to take the stage since the show returned in 2021. As for when America's Got Talent will return after its break for the Olympics, the wait isn't too much longer.
