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Liam Payne, the former One Direction star, is set to make a posthumous appearance in Netflix’s upcoming music competition series, Building the Band, releasing this summer. Payne, who tragically passed away in 2024, had already finished filming his guest spots on the show before his untimely death.
The series, which wrapped filming just weeks before Payne’s accident, will feature him alongside music icons Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child, Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls, and AJ McLean from the Backstreet Boys. Payne died in a heartbreaking accident after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Netflix has decided to honor Liam’s contribution by moving forward with airing the show as planned. Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, told The Mirror that fans will be captivated by Building the Band, hosted by AJ McLean. The contestants will be mentored and judged by Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and the late Liam Payne himself.
The show puts a fresh twist on the classic talent search. Contestants are initially divided into bands but don’t get to see each other right away—similar to the concept of Love Is Blind. Only after they start working together do factors like appearance, style, and stage presence come into play. The main goal? To see if the groups have enough chemistry to form a successful band.
Liam Payne rose to international fame in 2010 when he, along with Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik, was put together on The X Factor to create One Direction. The group became one of the biggest boy bands in history before going on a permanent break in 2016.
Following Liam’s passing, his former bandmates shared heartfelt tributes, calling him a beloved brother and an incredible artist. They said they would take time to mourn privately but also celebrate Liam’s legacy.
For fans worldwide, Building the Band will be a bittersweet but special chance to see the final project Liam Payne worked on before his death.