Nicole Scherzinger said she was “heartbroken” by the shocking death of Liam Payne in her first interview since his passing last week.
The 46-year-old artist appeared in Good morning America in New York City on Friday morning to chat about her role as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard and her role in Moana 2.
It is also the first time she has been seen since she revealed on social media that she was texting the One Direction singer on the day of his death.
Nicole has a long history with Liam, as she helped recruit him for One Direction and was also working with him on a new show called Building The Band.
The former Pussycat Doll wore a tight sleeveless chocolate brown dress, pointed brown high heels and gold framed sunglasses with her dark hair worn out.
Nicole Scherzinger said she was “heartbroken” by the shocking death of Liam Payne in her first interview since his passing.
The singer appeared on Good Morning American in New York on Friday.
Nicole has a long history with Liam as she helped recruit him for One Direction. She is seen in 2017 with Liam and Simon Cowell.
While on GMA, she talked about Liam.
“Liam and I were pretty close,” Scherzinger said on the show.
‘And so, yes, I am heartbroken. I’m heartbroken for Liam. “I am heartbroken for his family, his loved ones and his fans,” she continued.
“Liam always led with his heart and with kindness, and I really hope that’s how he will always be remembered.”
She was an integral part of the creation of One Direction when she appeared as a judge on X Factor in 2010.
In her Instagram note, Nicole said that They will “forever cherish and treasure” the time they spent together.
Liam, 31, died last week after falling 45 feet from a third floor into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, leaving the band’s fans around the world shocked.
“Liam and I were pretty close,” Scherzinger said Friday. ‘And so, yes, I am heartbroken. I’m heartbroken for Liam. “I am heartbroken for his family, his loved ones and his fans,” she continued.
The star added: “Liam always acted with his heart and with kindness, and I really hope that’s how he will always be remembered.”
The singer, 46, sat down with Good Morning America to talk about her role as Norma Desmond in the musical Sunset Boulevard.
The former Pussycat Doll wore a tight sleeveless chocolate brown dress, pointed brown high heels, and gold-framed sunglasses with her dark hair worn down.
And on Instagram with a beaming photo of her, Liam and Kelly Rowland, Nicole wrote: “Dear Liam, I will always cherish and treasure the time we shared together, from fifteen years ago when One Direction was born, to just a year ago.” A few weeks ago.
The three had finished filming the new Netflix show Building The Band just two months before their tragic death in Argentina.
She continued in her post: ‘It was such a blessing to be able to work with you recently. We shared the same love and passion for music and I will always remember the meaningful and joyful conversations we had.
‘It has been very difficult to process that you are no longer here, but I am grateful to have known your good heart, your sweet soul and your character.
‘You brought so much joy, light and laughter to the lives of those who truly knew you. I will ‘miss’ you my friend and I will carry you in my heart. My thoughts and prayers are with his family.’
Meanwhile, Nicole has been praised by theater guru Andrew Lloyd Webber for maintaining her composure and still taking to the stage for the Sunset Blvd press night on New York’s Broadway, just hours after learning Liam had fallen fatally from the balcony of his hotel.
Scherzinger revealed she was texting Payne on the day he died as she paid tribute to her X Factor apprentice with sweet photos on Instagram on Friday.
She wrote: “It has been very difficult to process that you are no longer here, but I am grateful to have known your good heart, your sweet soul and your character.”
Andrew told Billboard magazine: “One thing about Nicole is that once she commits to something, she is the most incredible troupe member and leader of any artist I know.”
‘And you know what? I guess something that hasn’t been said, and I guess I could say it, is that of course she mentored Liam from One Direction.
‘On Wednesday when he died, she was still texting him that day, and (that night) the critics came (to Sunset), she had just found out he had died.
And the fact that she did the show is extraordinary. I mean she is an amazing, amazing woman.
“She is without a doubt one of the best performers I have ever worked with.”
Netflix is yet to confirm the future of Liam’s recent show following the tragedy, following reports that filming concluded with three live shows filmed in front of an audience at Aviva Studios in Manchester at the end of August.
The program finds talented singers from across the country and places them into groups based solely on compatibility, connection, and musical merit.
The contestants have complete control every step of the way, but the judges, Liam Nicole and Kelly, are eager to see how well each singer performs under the pressure of the lights, cameras, choreographers and audience.
Liam fell 45 feet from a third-floor balcony into the courtyard of the Casa Sur Hotel in Argentina’s capital on Wednesday, before doctors confirmed his death.
The star had arrived in South America with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy on September 30, staying in Argentina for two weeks after only planning to spend “five days” there.
Police were called to the hotel after receiving reports of an “aggressive man who may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
The singer, 47, was instrumental in the creation of One Direction when she appeared as a judge on the X Factor in 2010 (pictured).
A toxicology report on Monday revealed that Liam had traces of a combination of drugs in his system, including ‘pink cocaine’ (pictured days before his death in Buenos Aires).
Shortly afterwards, workers heard a loud sound in the hotel courtyard before the Wolverhampton-born singer’s body was discovered shortly after 5pm local time.
Shocked fans gathered outside after police cordoned off the area and forensic investigators were seen coming and going in white protective suits and blue gloves.
The star was said to have been “acting erratically in the hotel lobby and smashed his laptop” before he “had to be taken back to his room”, according to local media.
A toxicology report on Monday revealed that Liam had traces of a combination of drugs in his system, including “pink cocaine.”
Argentine police and prosecutors investigating the tragedy are treating it as an “inconclusive death” as they continue to search for the drug dealer who supplied him that night.
Preliminary results of toxicology tests on Liam’s remains have found traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine and ‘pink cocaine’, which is a combination of methamphetamine, ketamine and MDMA.
While testing continues on the substances (white powder, traces of chemical crystals and prescription medications) found in her boutique hotel suite, the results of an autopsy on her body have been completed.
It was determined that the singer died instantly from multiple injuries after falling 45 feet from a third floor.
