Nicole Scherzinger is reflecting on the loss of her “dear friend” Liam Payne.
In a preview clip for the July 27th episode of Sunday Sitdown with Willie Geist, Scherzinger spoke about her new Netflix music competition series, “Building the Band,” and opened up about how it was to work with Payne in what was his last major TV appearance before his death in October 2024.
“I put One Direction together, so it’s come full circle for us,” she told Geist, referring to her hand in creating the popular boy band, which included Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, from competitors on “The X Factor.”
Payne, who passed away at the age of 31 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, served as a guest judge on Scherzinger’s “Building the Band,” which has singers form groups without initially seeing each other. The “Sunset Boulevard” star said Payne brought something special and authentic to the series.
“And then it’s full circle for Liam, because he had the success with One Direction,” she continued, becoming emotional. “And what did he bring? He brought the personal experience. He’s lived it, you know?”
Prior to his death, Payne filmed several episodes of “Building the Band,” working alongside fellow judge and former Destiny’s Child member Kelly Rowland and Scherzinger, who mentors the competitors. Scherzinger said she was “blown away” by Payne’s expertise, recalling that she thought, “‘Wow, he really knows what he’s talking about.’”
“I’m so excited for people to see the show, because Liam just shines in the show,” she continued, speaking to Willie. “He’s just a natural beautiful bright light. Anyone who knows him — he has a very kind, giving heart. And he gets to, you know, give back.”
Scherzinger said Payne’s experience with One Direction equipped him to “give really good advice from a very personal place,” adding that he “brings a joy to the show and a sweetness.”
The Tony winner later described Payne as being “in a great place” when they filmed the show, noting that the panel of judges “gelled so well.”
“He was a dear friend of mine,” she added of Payne. “And so I’m happy that people get to remember him in this beautiful light where he’s shining.”
Reflecting on the loss of the Payne, Scherzinger told Willie that she also hopes people can show more compassion to others since life can be “complicated.”
“People, everyone’s complicated,” she said. “It’s called humans. It’s the human spirit and soul. And I just wish I could only just pray for people to be more compassionate and understanding, because everybody at some point in their life if not right now is going through something.”
As Willie noted in their Sunday Sitdown interview, Payne was honored at the top of the “Building the Band” with a message from host Backstreet Boy AJ McLean.
“When we came together to film ‘Building the Band,’ we never imagined we’d soon be saying goodbye to our friend, Liam Payne,” McLean says in the first episode. “Liam is a guest judge in later episodes, and through his presence, we see his deep love for music and his unwavering commitment to helping others find their voice.”
Over photos and videos showing moments of Payne’s appearances on the show, McLean continues, “It’s through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.”
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