Nicole Scherzinger's 'selfish' admission about Liam Payne in final Netflix project

Nicole Scherzinger has opened up about her "really beautiful" time with Liam Payne on their final collaboration before his untimely passing. The Pussycat Dolls star, who sat alongside the ex-One Direction member on Netflix's new series Building the Band, cherishes the memories of working with Liam - who tragically died at 31 last year after a fall from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

In an emotional tribute to People, Nicole shared: "We got pretty close through this whole experience. Liam is such a kind and beautiful heart, and selfishly I'm glad that I got to spend my time with him. I'm really happy that the world gets to see another one of his gifts, which is helping these blossoming artists, these bands."

She added: "He was amazing. I was really impressed with him. He was just so giving and generous, even when the cameras weren't rolling, spending time with all the fans and singing to them.

"It was lovely to watch him in his element," reports the Manchester Evening News.

The show's heartfelt dedication came from Backstreet Boys icon and host AJ McLean in the first episode's poignant opening.

"When we came together to film Building The Band, we never imagined we'd soon be saying goodbye to our friend, Liam Payne," he stated.

"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. It is through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family."

Nicole eagerly shared that she "jumped at the opportunity" to join Building the Band - hosted by AJ with Kelly Rowland as a fellow judge - drawing on her previous TV judging experience from The X Factor UK and The Masked Singer.

The 47-year-old star expressed: "I've been doing this for quite a long time. I really pride myself in mentoring and helping out however I can, and one of my superpowers is trying to find the best in people and in blossoming artists. I was really excited to lend any of my gifts and experience to the show."

She emphasised the importance of humility for success in the music industry, noting that a lack of "ego" is crucial for a group's success.

Reflecting on her time with the Pussycat Dolls, the 'Don't Cha' singer revealed: "I think not to have an ego and everyone plays a strong role in their own way. There's different roles and it's all for the betterment of the band."

She added: "When we were in this process, when the bands were forming, so many of the band members had unbelievable voices, really strong soloist voices, but not everyone could be a solo singer because it was a band. You had to know when you took your lead and you had to know when you could harmonise."

Building the Band premiered its first four episodes on Wednesday (July 9), with new episodes set to release every Wednesday over the following three weeks.