Building The Band: What We Know About The Netflix Show Starring The Late Singer Liam Payne

Graziadaily

7 days ago

A new Netflix show Building The Band will star the late Liam Payne, who was a guest judge on the show.
One Direction star Liam tragically died in October last year age 31, when he fell from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires. At the time, Liam's family issued a statement following his death which read: 'We are heartbroken. Liam will forever live in our hearts and we'll remember him for his kind, funny and brave soul. We are supporting each other the best we can as a family and ask for privacy and space at this awful time.'
Before he died, he filmed the competition series Building The Band, which has been dubbed a 'music experiment.' The show follows 50 singers who want to start a a band - but there's a twist. The contestants go in blind, and will discover their ideal bandmates based on what they sound like, their compatibility and their connection.
However, not everyone will make the cut. The 50 contestants will be whittled down to six bands, and then one winner. As the Netflix synopsis teases, the show promises 'Plenty of drama, next level artistry and unforgettable performances.' Think of it as a mixture between Love Is Blind and The Voice.
The filming for Building the Band took place in 2024, with filming wrapping in August. The three live shows were also filmed in late August at Aviva Studios in Manchester.
The show's executive producer Cat Lawson said ahead of filming last year: 'Building the Band is a brave and bold undertaking for all involved as we hand over power to the singers themselves to form their own band based on chemistry first. With looks out of the equation, can they create a deeper connection with their bandmates? With limited bands, there are difficult decisions and heart-stopping moments along the way, but ultimately the outcome is truly amazing, with bands forming who in my opinion are worthy of the very biggest stage!'
Liam Payne's involvement in the show was first announced last August, just two months before he died. The show has a total of ten episodes, and Liam will only appear from episode seven onwards. He is joined on the judging panel by Pussycat Dolls' Nicole Scherzinger and Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland. The show is hosted by the Backstreet Boys' AJ McLean will host.
Netflix said in a press release this week that Liam's family had given their blessings for the show to go ahead. They said his family had 'reviewed the series and [was] supportive of his inclusion.'
Before the show starts, the show's host AJ will share an emotional tribute to Liam on screen. 'When we came together to film Building The Band, we never imagined we'd soon be saying goodbye to our friend, Liam Payne. 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,' he says. 'It is through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.'
Tributes have also been flooding in online for Liam ahead of the show's launch. When Netflix shared the trailer on X, a fan commented: 'I'm glad it's still being released,' adding 'This way we can still see Liam's genuine love for music and helping people.' Another fan commented: 'Heartbreaking to see Liam Payne in this posted. It's going to be his final project forever. I'm going to be crying my eyes out watching this show.'
The first four episodes will air on 9 July. Then, fans will have to wait a week or so for episodes 5, 6 and 7, which drop on July 16, 2025, followed by the final three episodes on July 23, 2025.
Alice Hall is the Staff Writer at Grazia UK. She was previously a Junior Features Writer for The Daily Telegraph. At Grazia, she writes news and features about pop culture, dating, health, politics and interiors.