Simon Cowell broke down in tears during America's Got Talent after the Mzansi Youth Choir paid tribute to the late contestant Nightbirde.
During this week’s US season premiere of the reality competition show, the youth choir performed It's OK, an original ballad written by the late singer-songwriter who died of cancer last year.
Without revealing what song they will be performing, the South African choir got straight into it, showcasing stunning vocals in their uplifting and powerful homage.
In the end, the Mzansi Youth Choir’s performance wowed the panel, bringing all four of the judges and the audience to their feet in a standing ovation.
Check out the emotional momentJudge Heidi Klum started off by taking some time to explain to viewers and the live audience the song’s significance, saying: "For anyone who doesn’t know, we lost a very, very special person from our AGT family. It has a very special meaning in my heart. It was really beautiful. Thank you."
Sofia Vergara then praised that it was the "perfect AGT audition," while the 63-year-old judge asked the talented group why they specifically chose that song.
"When we heard Nightbirde singing this song on this stage, we were very inspired and touched by her story, so we decided to record the song," one of the choir members said. "To our surprise, she responded so beautifully. This song that been such a pillar of strength for us as a choir through difficult times. We just want to continue her legacy, and that's why we chose this song."
It took a few moments for Cowell to compose himself after hearing the choir's explanation. He then struggled to get his words out as he said: "This brought back so many memories for me."
"I know how much this would have meant to her," he continued, while his voice began to break. He then wiped his eyes and added: "Right until the end, she was so passionate about sharing her music. This has gone all over the world, and you’ve come back here with the most amazing tribute. It was just breathtaking, honestly."
In an inspired moment, Cowell turned to the audience to ask if they felt the choir should be awarded the first-ever audience Golden Buzzer, to which the crowd screamed in excitement. The judges and host Terry Crews then joined hands to press the button at once.
Watch Nightbirde's audition below:Nightbirde - whose real name was Jane Marczewski - competed on season 16 of AGT in 2021. During her audition, she revealed to audiences that she "had some cancer in my lungs, spine, and my liver," adding, "I have a 2 percent chance of survival, but two percent is not 0 percent. Two percent is something, and I wish people knew how amazing it is."
She received Cowell's Golden Buzzer that season, which meant that she could go straight to the live shows. However, she had to withdraw from the series 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," and sadly died in February 2022 at age 31.
Her older brother, Mitch Marczewski Jr, spoke to PEOPLE about Mzansi Youth Choir's heartwarming tribute and said "It was simply amazing to see. AGT did an incredible job with Jane’s song and I was deeply moved by their performance. I didn’t think anyone could cover Jane’s song on AGT, but they proved me wrong."
