Nicole Scherzinger, a.k.a. the queen of The X Factor and unofficial band-architect extraordinaire, has taken to Instagram to pay tribute to Liam Payne, leaving us all reaching for tissues and wondering if life will ever make sense again.
If you’re a little rusty on your pop-culture history, here’s a refresher: Nicole was a judge on The X Factor UK, where she pulled a musical Avengers move and helped create One Direction. Sure, Simon Cowell gets all the credit (as usual), but plot twist—a behind-the-scenes video shows Nicole handpicking the band members like she was selecting items for her online shopping cart.
Recently, Nicole and Liam reunited for Netflix’s Building the Band—a competition series filmed over the summer. And just when we thought these two were giving us all the nostalgic feels, Nicole dropped a heartfelt post that hit us right in the gut.
“Texting on the Day of Heartbreak”
It was revealed that Nicole had been in touch with Liam the very same day he passed away, making this whole thing feel like the universe’s cruelest plot twist. And in a classic “rip-my-heart-out” move, Nicole’s tribute post on Instagram included some of the last photos they took together on set with Kelly Rowland.
Nicole’s Message to Liam: A Love Letter to a Friend
Her post read like the perfect mix of emotional devastation and heartwarming nostalgia. “Dear Liam,” she began (cue the lump in your throat), “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.”
If you weren’t already crying, brace yourself. “It was such a blessing to get to work with you recently,” she continued. “We shared the same love and passion for music, and I will forever remember the meaningful and joyful conversations we had.”
Then came the line that had everyone ugly-crying into their pillows: “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.”
One Last Tearjerking Goodbye
Nicole wrapped up her post with a mic-drop of emotion: “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.” And if that wasn’t enough to send you into emotional overload, she finished with a 🙏🏽 and a ♥️, the international emojis for “I’m broken inside.”
TL;DR: Nicole Scherzinger basically just gave the internet a collective group hug, and we’re not okay. Whether it’s building boy bands or pouring her heart out, Nicole knows how to hit us right where it hurts—in the best way possible.