5 ‘America’s Got Talent’ Contestants Who Tragically Passed Away
Trae Patton/NBC Reading Time: 2 minutes
Over the years, several America’s Got Talent contestants have passed away after their time on the show. Let’s take a look back at the auditions of five talented performers who are sadly no longer with us.
America’s Got Talent Contestants Who Passed Away
1. Dr. Brandon Rogers
This young doctor auditioned for Season 12 of the show by singing “Ribbon in the Sky” by Stevie Wonder. He earned a standing ovation from all four judges for his performance. However, Rogers died in a car accident in 2017 when his friend who was driving fell asleep at the wheel. His audition aired a month later. Rogers was 29.
2. Skilyr Hicks
At 14 years old, this singer auditioned for Season 8 with an original song, sharing that she started playing music after her father passed away. Although she didn’t make it past the Vegas Round, Hicks released an album after the show. In 2021, she was found dead at age 23 of a suspected drug overdose.
3. Neal E. Boyd
This opera singer wowed the audience and judges with his audition to “Nessun dorma” and went on to win Season 3 of the show. He released the album My American Dream in 2009. Boyd passed away in 2018 at the age of 42 from heart and kidney failure compounded by liver disease.
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4. Nightbirde
This singer, whose real name was Jane Marczewski, auditioned for Season 16 with an original song called “It’s Okay.” Simon Cowell hit the Golden Buzzer for her performance, sending her to the Quarterfinals. However, Nightbirde had to drop out of the competition due to her cancer battle. In February 2022, Nightbirde passed away at age 31.
5. The Kinetic King
This creator of chain reactions, whose real name was Tim Fort, auditioned for Season 6 of the show and charmed the judges with his sense of humor. He was first eliminated in the Quarterfinals, but returned as a wildcard in the Semifinals. Fort passed away in 2016 at the age of 51 after suffering a series of strokes.
