Nicole Scherzingeris looking back on the time she spent working closely with late singer Liam Payne.
Prior to his tragic death in October 2024, the One Direction crooner worked as a mentor on one final project, a Netflix series called Building the Band. The show also stars the former Pussycat Dolls songstress, as well as other former singing group members Kelly Rowland (Destiny’s Child) and AJ McLean (Backstreet Boys).
Scherzinger, 47, reflected on her time working with Payne during a recent appearance on The View, where she tearfully gushed about his profound impact and infectious smile.
While The View‘s Sara Haines pointed out that Building the Band was Payne’s “last project” before he died, Scherzinger shared some of her favorite things about Payne, particularly, his “heart.”
“When you watch the show, you’ll see little glimpses of him after he’s talking or things where you just catch him off guard and it’s when he smiles,” Scherzinger said. “He smiles with his eyes like he’s giving you a hug, like embracing you and holding you.”
She continued, “Liam had such a beautiful, beautiful heart, and i’m so happy that people get to remember him and see him in his light and in his element.”
Payne rose to fame on The X Factor UK, where he and four other contestants, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, formed the group One Direction.
Liam died unexpectedly on Oct. 16, 2024, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31.
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Nicole Scherzinger Tearfully Recalls Working With Liam Payne on ‘Last Project’ Before Death first appeared on Parade on Jul 21, 2025
