Nicole Scherzinger shared a conversation with Liam Payne just hours before his unexpected passing at the age of 31.
“I was aware he was in Argentina,” Scherzinger, 47, revealed in an interview with The Times of London that was published on October 3. “We kept it light and just engaged in casual chit-chat.”
Payne, famously recognized for his role in the British boy band One Direction, tragically fell to his death from a hotel balcony in October 2024. He leaves behind his parents, siblings, and his 8-year-old son from a previous relationship with Cheryl Cole.
The initial meeting between Scherzinger and Payne took place in 2010, during his audition for The X Factor UK, where she played a pivotal role in forming One Direction. They later connected as mentors on Netflix’s Building the Band, which premiered earlier this year.
“I really adored Liam. He had a wonderful heart,” the former Pussycat Dolls member expressed. “I barely had a chance to know him back then while I was helping to form One Direction. I just saw all this talent and thought, ‘Coming from a girl group, I understand the strength of a band.’
Scherzinger learned of Payne’s passing right before one of her performances in Broadway’s Sunset Blvd.
“The show must go on,” she remarked. “After that, I dedicated a small part of my performance to Liam each evening, a moment that always brought him to my mind.”
The celebrated actress, who portrayed Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. until its closure this summer, began reassessing her priorities following Payne’s tragic departure.
“The world needs more kindness,” Scherzinger stated to the British publication. “Our devices can be enemies just as much as they can be helpful. I wish we could put an end to ‘cancel culture.’
Previously, Scherzinger expressed her feelings about Payne’s passing in a heartfelt statement on Instagram weeks after the event.
“Dear Liam, I will always hold dear the moments we spent together, from the inception of One Direction 15 years ago to just weeks before,” she posted on October 25, 2024. “It was truly a blessing to collaborate with you recently. We shared a deep passion for music, and I will always treasure the meaningful and joyful discussions we had.”
She concluded her note with, “It’s been incredibly difficult to come to terms with your absence, but I feel grateful for your kind heart, lovely soul, and character. You brought immense joy, light, and laughter to all who truly knew you. I will ‘miss you’ my friend and carry your memory in my heart. My thoughts and prayers remain with your family.”
Scherzinger later found it challenging to rewatch Building the Band when it aired with a tribute to Payne.
“We’re so proud of him. He had a fantastic time. We shared many joyful moments working on the show together, and he was a beautiful, kind-hearted individual,” she shared on Late Night With Seth Meyers in July. “We would never have continued the show without the support of his family’s blessing. We are merely proud of him and look forward to everyone witnessing Liam’s brilliance.”
