Nicole Scherzinger spoke to Liam Payne on the day he died, and shared their last photo together
New details are emerging about the mysterious death of the 31-year-old One Direction member, who was found dead outside a hotel in Buenos Aires. The Mirror has learned that Liam's former X Factor mentor and former Pussycat Dolls singer Nicole Scherzinger was in contact with the singer on the day of his death.
In 2010, Nicole Scherzinger was a judge on The X Factor and helped form the band One Direction from the show's contestants, which included Liam Payne. Since then, the singer kept in touch with the performer until his death. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber revealed that Scherzinger was texting Payne on the day of his death.
Nicole was devastated when she learned of Liam's death before a big performance. She still went on stage to play Norma Desmond in the Broadway production. "She was still texting him on the Wednesday he died. The fact that she was even in the show after [Liam's death] was extraordinary. She's an amazing, amazing woman. Without a doubt one of the best performers I've ever worked with," Andrew said.
Not only were Liam and Nicole friends, they were also set to soon be judges on the new Netflix show Building The Band. The show involved creating a band where none of the members had to meet each other until the final concert. The show also featured Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland and AJ McLain of the Backstreet Boys. Filming for the show has been suspended.
"Dear Liam, I will forever cherish the times we spent together, from the birth of One Direction 15 years ago to just a few weeks ago. It has been such a joy to work with you lately. It is so hard to bear your passing, but I am grateful to have known your kind heart, soul and character. I will miss you my friend and carry you in my heart," Nicole wrote on Instagram* and posted a photo from the set of the new show.
Recall that Liam Payne was found dead under the windows of his room at the Casa Sur Palmero Hotel in Buenos Aires. The apartment had broken furniture and a smashed TV, and the artist, who was under the influence of drugs, fell from the third-floor balcony. Shortly before Liam's death, hotel staff called the police because of an "aggressive man." Journalists said that Payne's suicide was caused by a quarrel with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy, who left the hotel a couple of hours before the tragedy. Users "found" a trace of the scandalous rapper P. Diddy, who is awaiting trial for human trafficking and rape, in the artist's death.