Nicole Scherzinger pays tribute to Liam Payne, was texting with him on the day he died

Miu von Furstenberg 3 Min Read
Brit Awards at the O2 Arena Show
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Nicole Scherzinger was still in touch with the late One Direction star, Liam Payne, until his final day, according to Andrew Lloyd Webber. The 76-year-old composer, who penned the music for Broadway's Sunset Blvd. starring Scherzinger, 46, shared this insight in a Billboard interview on Thursday, October 24.

“I suppose something that hasn't been said, and I suppose I could say, is that of course she mentored Liam, from One Direction,” Lloyd Webber revealed about The Pussycat Dolls star. “On the Wednesday when he died, she was still texting him that day.”

Despite the heartbreaking news of Payne's passing, Scherzinger bravely took the stage as Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd. that very evening.

“She'd just heard that he died and the fact that she even did the show at all is extraordinary. I mean, she is an amazing, amazing woman,” Lloyd Webber expressed to the outlet, “She is without any question one of the finest performers I've ever worked with.”

Opening Night Of Sunset Boulevard On Broadway
Nicole Scherzinger attends the opening night of Sunset Blvd on Broadway at the St.James Theatre in New York on Oct. 21, 2024. Photo Credit: Udo Salters/INSTARimages

Scherzinger and Payne's paths first crossed in 2010 when he auditioned as a teen on The X Factor UK, where she was a judge. She championed him from the start.

Their professional relationship continued recently as they judged a new Netflix talent show, Building the Band. Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland also judged, with The Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean hosting. Though Netflix greenlit the show in May and filming wrapped in August, its future is uncertain following Payne's tragic death.

Nicole also posted her own tribute to Liam on Instagram:

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.

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.

It’s been so hard to process that you’re no longer here, but I am grateful to have known your kind heart, sweet soul and character.

You brought so much joy, light, and laughter to the lives of those that truly knew you. I will “miss you” my friend and carry you in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with your family. 🙏🏽♥️

On Wednesday, October 16, it was confirmed that Payne, 31, died after falling from his hotel room's third-story balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. An autopsy report obtained by Us showed the musician died of “multiple traumas” involving “internal and external hemorrhage.”


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