Nicole Scherzinger is mourning her dear friend Liam Payne, whom she was texting on the very day he died. Oof.
In a Billboard interview published on Thursday, Andrew Lloyd Webber — the composer of the actress’ new Broadway musical Sunset Blvd. — opened up about her close bond with the One Direction alum, a band she played a major part in forming on The X Factor back in 2010.
Related: Liam’s Fans Think THIS Was A Sign From The Singer… From Above
He expressed:
“I suppose something that hasn’t been said, and I suppose I could say, is that of course, she mentored Liam, from One Direction. On the Wednesday when he died, she was still texting him that day.”
Whoa. Heartbreaking. They were friends until the very end.
Incredibly, the Pussycat Dolls alum still managed to go on stage and perform just moments after learning of the 31-year-old’s passing, Andrew praised:
“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. She is without any question one of the finest performers I’ve ever worked with.”
He continued:
“One thing about Nicole is that once she’s committed to something, she is the most incredible company member and leader of any performer I know.”
That is incredible. She’s a true professional — but we cannot imagine how difficult that must have been!
In a video shared in 2022, The X Factor revealed that Nicole was the judge on the show who decided to put Liam, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson in a band together, saying at the time:
“They’re just too talented to get rid of. And they’ve got just the right look and the right charisma on stage. I think they’ll be really great in a boy band together.”
She called them “little stars” who she couldn’t bear to “get rid of.” Thanks to her mastermind work, she helped create one of the biggest boy bands in history. Just incredible!
Not only did she stay friendly with the boys throughout their career, but Nicole was also back working with Liam in the weeks before his death. They were both judges on the upcoming Netflix competition series Building the Band alongside AJ McLean and Kelly Rowland. They filmed for about six weeks ending in August.
She referenced this time together in a tribute posted to Instagram on Friday. Sharing two selfies with Liam and Kelly, she wrote:
“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.”
Addressing the last few days since his tragic loss, the 46-year-old continued:
“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.”
So, so sad. The pics are also a bit haunting because Liam appears to be wearing the same or a very similar outfit in the selfies compared to what he had on the day he died. See (below):
As Perezcious readers know, the beloved musician fell from his fourth-story balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16. He’d been acting erratically, had partied with two alleged prostitutes, and had multiple drugs in his system at the time of his death. It’s unclear if he jumped intentionally. An investigation is ongoing to determine what happened in his final moments.
Sending our love to Nicole and all of Liam’s loved ones as they continue to grieve this untimely loss. R.I.P.
[Image via John Rainford/WENN/Avalon & Nicole Scherzinger/Instagram]
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