Nicole Scherzinger feels personally responsible for the success of One Direction.
Though all 5 of the lads failed to get through the X factor auditions as solo acts, it was Nicole who suggested they form a group.
Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik then made it to 3rd place in the 2010 final.
And now she's taken over from Cheryl Cole on US X Factor, Nicole likes to remind Simon Cowell of her triumph as a guest judge in the UK.
'Oh yeah, I helped him out so much when I came on that show,' Nicole, 33, tells us.
'I practically put One Direction together with my hands tied behind my back - just joking!
'I'm really excited to be working with Simon again.'
Though all 5 of the lads failed to get through the X factor auditions as solo acts, it was Nicole who suggested they form a group.
Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, Harry Styles and Zayn Malik then made it to 3rd place in the 2010 final.
And now she's taken over from Cheryl Cole on US X Factor, Nicole likes to remind Simon Cowell of her triumph as a guest judge in the UK.
'Oh yeah, I helped him out so much when I came on that show,' Nicole, 33, tells us.
'I practically put One Direction together with my hands tied behind my back - just joking!
'I'm really excited to be working with Simon again.'
