Jane Marczewski is a singing contestant on this season of America’s Got Talent and she already has a huge fanbase. Jane, also known as "Nightbirde," sang an original song called “It’s OK” and since then has taken the internet by storm with her audition reaching 15 million views in three days. After her audition went viral, her Instagram account has gained an influx of followers, bringing her up to over 290k. She has judge and millionaire Simon Cowell to thank for the Golden Buzzer, which will send her straight to the live shows. Though they have yet to begin, the hashtag #seejanewinAGT has already taken on social media.
The 30-year-old comes from Zanesville, Ohio, and has been battling cancer since 2017, which put her out of work. She entered the show telling the judges she still had traces of the illness in her spine, liver and lungs. So while she may not be okay in every way, she said, “It’s important that everyone knows I’m so much more than the bad things that happen to me.” Nightbirde revealed she has only a 2% chance of survival “but 2% is not 0%. 2% is something and I wish people knew how amazing it is.”
Though she comes from Ohio, she began performing and writing at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. Nightbirde told a local news station she doesn’t know where she would be if she didn’t start her music career in Lynchburg. “It's where I found myself really and where I found my voice and it was such a launching pad for me and I’ll be grateful for that forever,” she said.
In 2015, she was married to a man named Jeremy Claudio, who ultimately ended things in 2020 after the cancer appeared. According to her official website, after she got news of her illness and her husband left her, she moved to California and with time her cancer disappeared. Afterwards, she was diagnosed again and again, and wrote on her blog, “I have had cancer three times now, and I have barely passed thirty. There are times when I wonder what I must have done to deserve such a story.” She frequently makes blog posts about her life and struggles with cancer and said she originally wanted to be an author.
The tragedy from her cancer had caused physical head trauma, which made her brain send false signals of “excruciating pain and panic.” This led to a mental breakdown where she couldn’t sleep and would spend nights laying in her bathtub or on her bathroom floor. After recovering with Brain Wave Therapy, she made her way to the biggest talent show in America, and her life changed forever.
Following her audition, a live recording of her original single reached No. 1 on Apple Music. Three of her other songs (including “Girl in a Bubble,” “New Year’s Eve,” and a studio version of “It’s OK”) made it to the top 100. “I have got to be dreaming,” she said on Twitter. “Somebody wake me up… or don’t!!”
This season of America’s Got Talent may be in its early episodes, but Nightbirde has already become a fan favorite. Though it’ll be a while until viewers see her again in the live shows, her fast growing popularity just might get millions tuning in. Her audition moved all four judges and the audience with not only her meaningful lyrics but also her positive attitude. After performing, she reminded everyone, “You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy.”