Simon Cowell breaks down in tears after youth choir covers song It’s OK by late singer Nightbirde during season 18 premiere of America’s Got Talent

Simon Cowell teared up and broke down after watching the Mzansi Youth Choir sing Nightbirde’s song It’s OK during Tuesday’s season premiere of America’s Got Talent. 

After the audience chanted for the Golden Buzzer, Simon said for first time ever they were giving the season 18 audience the power to pick their own Golden Buzzer winner.

‘This brought back so many memories for me,’ Simon, 63, said with tears in his eyes. ‘This is hard. Gosh, give me one second.’

‘I know how much this would have meant to her, it would. Right until the end she was so pᴀssionate about sharing her music. And this has gone all over the world. And you come back here with the most amazing tribute. It was just breathtaking, honestly,’ Simon said as judge Sofia Vergara, 50, supportively patted him on the back.

Nightbirde competed on season 16 of AGT, but had to drop out of the compeтιтion after succumbing to cancer and ultimately ended up losing her battle, pᴀssing away at the age of 31. Hearing the song performed by the choir, which came all the way from Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa, brought back memories for Simon and the other judges.

Howie Mandel, 67, put his hands on his head mesmerized while they sang, harmonizing together, and danced across the stage. The crowd cheered for them and the judges gave them a standing ovation when they finished.

‘For anyone who doesn’t know we lost a very special person from our AGT family,’ Heidi Klum, 49, said. ‘Her name is Jane. Her nickname was Nightbirde, and she sang the song. It has a very special meaning in my heart. It was really beautiful, thank you.’

‘What a surprise to hear that song, and your voices are fantastic,’ Sofia, 50, said. ‘That was the perfect AGT audition.’ ‘I’ll always remember Nightbirde and to see that it touched people on the other side of the globe,’ Howie said. ‘Unbelievable.’

‘Can I ask why you decided to sing that song?’ asked Simon, who hit his Golden Buzzer for Nightbirde when she auditioned.

One of the choir members said when they heard Nightbirde sing the song on the AGT stage, they were very inspired and touched by her story and decided to record her song.

‘To our surprise she responded so beautifully. This song has been such a pillar of strength for us, as a choir, through difficult times. We just wanted to continue her legacy and that’s why we chose this song, the choir member said.

The crowd chanted for them to get the Golden Buzzer.

‘I’m going to suggest something we’ve never done before but we’ve always discussed one day giving the audience something,’ Simon said.

The crowd chanted ‘Golden Buzzer.’

‘This is for you,’ Simon said. ‘This is for Jane.’

The judges held hands and pressed the Golden Buzzer and golden confetti fell down on the choir.

The choir members hugged each other and doubled over in shock at receiving the Golden Buzzer.

‘Mzansi Youth Choir you have just received the Golden Buzzer from the fifth judge, the AGT audience,’ host Terry Crews, 54, said.

The judges came on stage and gave members of the choirs hugs.

‘You have no idea how much that really meant to us,’ Simon told them.