Simon Cowell Opens Up About His Last Heartfelt Chat With Liam Payne - BABEOfficial 2025

Simon Cowell Reflects on His Last Meeting with Liam Payne

Simon Cowell is pulling back the curtain on his last heartfelt conversation with late One Direction star, Liam Payne. During a candid chat on the "Rolling Stone Music Now" podcast on November 24, Cowell opened up about their final interaction, which took place a year before Payne's untimely death.

Payne tragically passed away at the age of 31 on October 16, 2024, after a fall from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. At the time of his passing, his blood alcohol level was alarmingly high, recorded at 0.27%. Cowell shared that during their last meeting, Payne seemed to be in a great place, both physically and emotionally.

"I saw him a year before this happened. He went over to my house, and we spoke," Cowell revealed. "He looked amazing, by the way. This is the best I've ever seen him, and we talked about his son, being a dad, and what that means."

Cowell's Heartfelt Advice to Payne

Cowell, who has had a significant influence on Payne's career since his "X Factor" days, offered sage advice during their meeting. He urged Payne not to let music dominate his life and encouraged him to find new passions. This advice came as Payne was involved in Netflix's "Building the Band," working alongside big names like Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland.

Reflecting on their conversation, Cowell shared, "You're in a position where you can decide when you want to put something out and when you don't want to put something out." It's a testament to Cowell's desire to see Payne live a balanced life beyond the music industry.

Facing the Blame and Remembering the Good Times

In the wake of Payne's death, Cowell faced a wave of online criticism, with many pointing fingers at him and others in the music industry. However, he has chosen to rise above the noise. "I don't read any of this stuff because if I did, you would just torture yourself," Cowell said, addressing the speculative blame.

Cowell fondly reminisced about the day Payne visited him, noting that he felt no cause for concern at the time. "When I spoke to him that day, if I'm being honest with you, I felt really good about him," he reflected. Despite the tragic outcome, Cowell remains proud of Payne's achievements and cherishes their final moments together.