Nicole Scherzinger recently opened up about the last messages she exchanged with her longtime friend Liam Payne, offering a glimpse into their bond and the weight of his sudden loss.
She opened up to The Times of London in an interview published on Friday, October 3, on the last time she interacted with Payne.
The two had been texting on October 16, 2024, the day Payne tragically died after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires.
Scherzinger describes their exchange as light and casual — “just chit-chat” — a reminder that even ordinary words carry deep resonance in hindsight.
She added how she just loved Payne.
“I just adored Liam. He had such a good heart,” she told the outlet. “I barely knew him when I put One Direction together. I just saw these talented boys and was like, ‘I’m coming out of a girl group — I know the power of a group.’”
Staying Strong in Grief
Scherzinger revealed that she learned of Payne’s death shortly before going on stage in her Broadway show “Sunset Boulevard.”
Despite her grief, she honored him nightly during performances, dedicating a brief moment in each show to remember him.
“Our phones are our enemies as much as they help us,” she noted, “I wish we’d cancel cancel culture.”
Musical genius and creator of the musical “Sunset Boulevard” Andrew Lloyd Webber expressed how in awe he was of Scherzinger for performing on the night she learned of his passing.
“The fact that she even did the show at all is extraordinary,” Lloyd Webber told the outlet.
The Pussycat Dolls singer added, “The show must go on.”
“From then on, I dedicated a little part of the show to Liam every night. Just a little moment that always made me think of him,” Scherzinger stated.
Payne & Scherzinger: The History
Liam Payne and Nicole Scherzinger’s connection goes back more than a decade, rooted in The “X Factor UK,” where their professional paths first crossed.
Scherzinger, a judge on the 2010 season, played a key role in forming One Direction, suggesting that Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik should be grouped together after auditioning as solo acts.
That decision launched one of the biggest boy bands in history — and created a lifelong bond between Scherzinger and Payne.
At the time of Payne’s death, she issued a heartfelt statement on social media.
“Dear Liam, I will forever cherish and treasure the time we shared together, from fifteen years ago when One Direction was born, right up until just a few weeks ago,” she wrote.
She continued, “It was such a blessing to get to work with you recently. We shared the same love and passion for music and I will forever remember the meaningful and joyful conversations we had,”
