Nicole Scherzinger Reflects on Final Conversation with Liam Payne Before His Tragic Death

Nicole Scherzinger spoke with Liam Payne just hours before his tragic passing at 31.“I was aware he was in Argentina,” the 47-year-old Scherzinger shared with The Times of London in an article released on Friday, October 3. “Our discussion was simply casual and quite superficial.”Payne, who gained fame as a member of the UK boy band One Direction, tragically died after falling from a hotel balcony in October 2024. (He is survived by his parents, his siblings, and his 8-year-old son from his previous relationship with Cheryl Cole.)Scherzinger first encountered Payne in 2010, observing his The X Factor UK audition and playing a role in the formation of One Direction. They later connected deeply while serving as mentors on the Netflix reality series Building the Band, broadcast earlier this year.Nicole Scherzinger Exchanged Messages with Liam Payne on the Day He Died“I truly cherished Liam. He possessed such a kind spirit,” the former Pussycat Dolls vocalist further stated to the publication. “I had little acquaintance with him when I assembled One Direction. I simply observed these gifted young men and thought, ‘I'm emerging from a girl group – I understand the impact of a collective.’”Scherzinger received news of Payne's death just prior to one of her scheduled shows in the Broadway production of Sunset Blvd.“The performance had to continue,” Scherzinger remarked. “Following that, I devoted a small segment of each nightly performance to Liam. It was a brief instant that consistently brought him to mind.”The acclaimed actress, who portrayed Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. before its run concluded this summer, began reevaluating her personal values and objectives following Payne’s sudden passing.“There is a greater need for empathy globally,” Scherzinger commented to the UK newspaper. “Our mobile devices can be as detrimental as they are beneficial. I hope we could abolish ‘cancel culture.’”Liam Payne’s Sister Recounts Her Final Encounter with Him Prior to His DemiseScherzinger had previously commented on Payne’s death through a heartfelt Instagram post several weeks subsequent to his passing.“Dearest Liam, I will always hold dear and value the moments we spent together, spanning from 15 years ago when One Direction began, right up to merely a few weeks past,” she posted on October 25, 2024. “It was a true privilege to collaborate with you recently. We shared an identical fondness and zeal for music, and I will always recall our significant and pleasant discussions.”She finished by saying, “It has been immensely difficult to comprehend your absence, yet I am thankful to have experienced your compassionate nature, gentle spirit, and personality. You brought immense happiness, brightness, and humor to the lives of those who genuinely understood you. I will ‘miss you’ my companion and keep you in my affections. My deepest sympathies and good wishes are with your loved ones.”Scherzinger subsequently found it challenging to view Building the Band again when its initial broadcast included a tribute to Payne.“We are incredibly proud of him. He thoroughly enjoyed himself. We had such a wonderful time creating the program together, and he possessed such a beautiful, compassionate spirit and character,” she stated on Late Night With Seth Meyers in July. “We would have never proceeded, you understand, aired the show without the consent of his family. We are simply immensely proud of him, and I am eager for everyone to witness Liam’s brilliance.”