What role did Liam Payne have in Building the Band? Netflix reveals first look at his final project

Netflix revealed the first look of their new show Building the Band on May 31, 2025, and it sure is special for Liam Payne fans because it was his last project before he died in October 2024 at the age of 31.

Member of the band One Direction, Liam Payne was a judge and mentor on the Netflix show. He helped the singers choose who to team up with and also gave advice. Fans are naturally excited to watch the show, and see Liam’s last work. Netflix has revealed the show will drop later in 2025.

Per People, A.J. McLean from Backstreet Boys, who will act as host, said of the show,

"[It is] unlike anything you have ever seen before — trust me."

The singers pick their bandmates by just hearing their voices without getting to see each other at first. The judges, including Liam, Nicole Scherzinger, and Kelly Rowland, will help the singers find the right team by looking for just one thing — good chemistry.

What is Building the Band and how did Liam Payne help?

Building the Band is an upcoming music contest on Netflix, where the participating singers have to go into soundproof booths. then they have to listen to each other’s voices without seeing each other. The goal is to find singers who sound good together, and have a strong musical connection.

Liam Payne was a key judge and mentor on the show, and his job was to guide the singers. He helped them find the right bandmates based on voice and feeling, not looks or dancing. Liam used his experience as a famous singer to give advice.

The show started filming in the summer of 2024, and, according to People, its synopsis reads,

"The singers are in complete control as they seek to form their very own bands in individual ‘booths’ without ever seeing each other. All they have to go on is musical compatibility, connection, chemistry and merit." The synopsis adds: "What will happen when the bands finally meet, and looks, choreography, and style come into play? With incredible performances, compelling drama, and one big goal — to find the next great music band — the stage is set for an unforgettable experience."

In the first preview released by Netflix, viewers see the singers entering the booths. They listen to each other’s voices and talk about how important chemistry is. Some singers get emotional hearing each other’s music. One singer wished he could see the others singing.

Sadly, a few months after filming ended, Liam Payne passed away. He fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His death shocked the music world. Reports said he died from the multiple injuries he sustained at once.

How people reacted to Liam Payne’s final work on the show

After Liam’s death, many people who worked on the show shared how much they liked and respected him. As per People, Liam had no problems on set. He was professional and kind. He really enjoyed working on Building the Band. He even wanted to keep helping the singers after filming finished. Host A.J. McLean spoke about Liam in March 2025. He said,

"The very last thing Liam did was work on this amazing TV show for Netflix called Building the Band, which will be out this summer. And we're dedicating the show to him. I got to really know him on a personal level and we had a lot of very similar life experiences, both in sobriety and out of sobriety."

Trending

Netflix confirmed the show will air in 2025, adding that it would certainly include Liam’s work as judge and mentor. Fans will get to see Liam helping singers and sharing his music knowledge. The show aims to honor Liam Payne’s love for music, and show how much he cared about helping new artists. Fans surely look forward to watching the show to remember Liam and enjoy the music.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback