Simon Cowell has paid a moving tribute to a former America's Got Talent star after she suffered a devastating cancer battle.
Nightbirde – real name Jane Marczewski – passed away on Saturday, February 19 after battling cancer.
Last August the singing sensation revealed that her cancer had "taken a turn for the worse" when she stepped down from the finals of America's Got Talent.
Making a permanent mark on viewers, Jane was a complete hit with the audience and even managed to bag Simon's golden buzzer.
Simon, who clearly had great faith and a ton of belief in the singer, has taken to Twitter to pay a moving tribute to Jane.
He wrote: "Heart breaking news to hear about @_nightbirde, she was an extraordinary person, so brave, so talented.
"She made a huge impact on AGT and the world. Her determination to fight this terrible illness was remarkable. Rest in peace, Jane. I am sending my love to her family. Simon."
Jane's family issued a statement on Tuesday, February 22, which was posted on her Instagram page and read: "After a four-year battle with cancer, Jane Kristen Marczewski, also known as Nightbirde, passed away on February 19th, 2022."
They continued: "Many remember her from America’s Got Talent, where she performed her hit song "It’s OK" and inspired millions of people around the globe with her messages of faith and never giving up.
"Those who knew her, enjoyed her larger-than-life personality and sense of humour. She had a witty joke for every occasion—even if the joke was on her."
Her family concluded: "Her lasting legacy will be the gift of hope she gave to so many through her music and the strength she found in Jesus."
Jane shot to fame when she appeared on the 16th season of America's Got Talent, and when her audition clip was posted online it garnered more than 30million views.
But when her battle with cancer worsened, she was forced to pull out of the show.
The disease ended up spreading to her lungs, spine and liver, and in a social media post around the time that she pulled out of the show she wrote: "Sharing my heart with the world on AGT has been an honour 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."
She added: "I am so sad to announce that I won't be able to continue forward on this season go AGT. Life doesn't always give breaks to those that deserve it - but we knew that already.
"Thank you for all your support, it means the world to me. Stay with me, I'll be better soon. I'm planning my future, not my legacy. Pretty beat up, but I've still got dreams.
"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."
Her final post was uploaded to her Instagram account on January 11, 2022, when she posted what would turn out to be her last ever selfie posted on social media before her death.
Alongside the snap she penned: "Honestly, things have been pretty brutal. But this is a photo of myself from last week where I felt pretty, and alive, and awake, and human, and real. I needed that. We’re all a little lost and it’s alright."
Our thoughts go out to Jane's family, friends and loved ones.
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