A heartfelt homage to a late contestant from America’s Got Talent struck an emotional chord, earning Soweto’s Mzansi Youth Choir a remarkable Golden Buzzer during the recent season premiere of the reality competition show in the United States.
The youth choir delivered a powerful rendition of “It’s OK,” an original ballad penned by Nightbirde, the singer-songwriter who previously performed on AGT and tragically succumbed to cancer in 2022.
Nightbirde, whose real name was Jane and gained fame on AGT, passed away in February 2022 due to cancer. Her demise left a lasting impact on the show’s viewers and judges, making the tribute performed by the choir in 2023 a deeply touching moment for everyone.
Jane’s Cancer Story on AGT
In 2021, Jane captivated the AGT audience and received the coveted golden buzzer. At the age of 30, she took the stage and performed an original composition titled “It’s Okay,” revealing that singing wasn’t her profession. Her heartfelt performance moved Simon Cowell to tears.
During her audition, Jane shared that she had been battling cancer and had been unable to work for several years. She opened up about having cancer in her spine and liver but emphasized that she was more than just the challenges she faced.
Nightbirde’s AGT audition left judge Sofia Vergara in tears as well. Simon, deeply moved by her performance, pressed the golden buzzer and told Jane, “Everything about that was special.” Nightbirde then disclosed that her chances of survival were only two percent.
Nightbirde’s Death in February 2022
Nightbirde’s battle with cancer came to an end on February 19, 2022. She was just 31 years old when she succumbed to breast cancer, less than a year after her initial audition on the NBC singing competition in July 2021.
Jane passed away in San Clemente, California, where she had relocated a year prior to her death. Simon Cowell shared on America’s Got Talent that she remained passionate about sharing her music until the very end.
The song she performed became a symbol of strength for the community during challenging times, which became evident during a special performance by a South African singing group on the May 30th episode. You can follow Jane’s page @_nightbirde.
“One of our choir members stated on the show, ‘When we heard Nightbirde singing this song on this stage, we were deeply inspired and moved by her story. That’s why we decided to record this song.’ Surprisingly, she responded to it so beautifully. This song has been an unwavering pillar of strength for our choir during difficult times. We simply want to continue her legacy,” said one member of the Mzansi Youth Choir.
The Mzansi Youth Choir’s performance mesmerized the judges, prompting all four celebrity judges and the audience to rise in a standing ovation.
Host Terry Crews expressed, “What a magnificent tribute to a truly remarkable person.”
Nightbirde, also known as Jane Marczewski, participated in the show in 2021 but had to withdraw from the competition to focus on her cancer treatment.
Judge Heidi Klum took a moment to explain the profound significance of the song to the live audience, stating, “For those who may not know, we lost a very, very special person from our AGT family. This song holds a special place in my heart. It was truly beautiful. Thank you.”
Sofia Vergara lauded the choir’s performance, declaring it the “perfect AGT audition.”
Perhaps most unexpectedly, Simon Cowell was moved to tears by their performance, remarking, “This brought back so many memories for me. I know how much this would have meant to her.”
He continued, “Right until the end, she was so passionate about sharing her music. It has touched people all around the world, and now you’ve come here with this amazing tribute. It was simply breathtaking.”
The audience erupted into chants for a Golden Buzzer, and the judges granted the Mzansi Youth Choir direct entry to the live rounds.
Cowell shared, “This is for you, this is for the audience, this is for Jane,” before Terry Crews joined the judges in pressing the Golden Buzzer.
This marks the first time the judges have bestowed a Golden Buzzer on behalf of the audience.