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Liam Payne's final appearance: His emotional turn as Netflix's 'Building the Band' judge
Liam Payne, a guest judge on Netflix's "Building the Band," joked that One Direction members were 'amazing dancers.'
One Direction member Liam Payne, a judge on "Building the Band," died at 31, just weeks after filming the Netflix competition series last fall. "Band" marks his final appearance.
As Liam Payne gave feedback to the next generation of boy bands and girl groups during his guest judging debut on Netflix's "Building The Band," he took a moment to poke fun at his own former boy band, One Direction.
After the newly formed group Midnight 'Til Morning sang a rousing rendition of the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris" in Episode 7 (now streaming), Payne dinged the guys for their unchoreographed, helter-skelter movement on the stage.
"We're in power ballad. We're looking for air grabs. Boy band central, baby," Payne told the four men. He added that Shane Appell's back flip "felt a tiny little bit misplaced."
When Appell explained they were more instrumentalists than dancers, Payne replied that One Direction had stage presence while subverting the expectations of an earlier generation's dance-machine boy bands (like series host AJ McLean's Backstreet Boys).
"We're amazing dancers, obviously, in One Direction. It's what we're known for," he cheekily told Appell. "George Michael was amazing at controlling an arena from just standing center and literally just doing that."
Payne then stood up from his seat and swayed his hips confidently side to side in demonstration.
Payne, alongside Destiny's Child's Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger from the Pussycat Dolls, watched six newly formed groups perform in front of a live audience for the first time and delivered constructive criticism, mostly centered on urging more onstage chemistry.
"You've really got to come out on stage and claim your moment. Make a moment with these people; make a moment with us, (and) make a moment with yourselves," he told the contestants.
"Building The Band," Payne's last TV appearance, was taped in September 2024, just weeks before his death. The 31-year-old singer died Oct. 16 after falling from a third-floor balcony at a Buenos Aires hotel. As part of One Direction – which Scherzinger helped form on the U.K. version of "The X-Factor" in 2010 – Payne broke sales, Billboard chart and streaming records.
"Through his presence we see his deep love for music and his unwavering commitment to helping others find their voice," McLean said in a message that opened "Band's" first episode. "It's through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family."
'Making the Band' contestants fangirl over Liam Payne
The new 10-episode Netflix competition show, which streams its final batch of episodes July 23, challenged dozens of young singers to form groups with strangers without ever seeing them, "Love is Blind" style.
In episodes 5 through 7, the six acts decided on their names: 3Quency, Soulidified, SZN4, Siren Society, Sweet Seduction and Midnight 'Til Morning. SZN4, with Donzell Taggart, Aaliyah Rose, Cameron Goode and Katie Roeder, is the only mixed-gender group.
After the proficient yet tenuously connected Alison Ogden, Elise Kristine and Haley Gosserand from Sweet Seduction kicked off the night with some tight choreography and soaring vocals for Mariah Carey's "Emotions," they were excited to get feedback.
When Payne greeted them, the trio enthusiastically waved back in unison. "Hi, Liam! I love you!" Gosserand gushed, evoking a chuckle from Payne. Earlier she'd revealed One Direction posters once decorated the wall above her bed.
He wanted to "to see more togetherness," perhaps intuiting the power imbalance among the group, but "other than that, fantastic," he pronounced the girl group.
During the judges' critiques, Mason Watts from Midnight Til Morning told Payne his family had won a competition in Australia to see One Direction from the front row at Madison Square Garden. "My sisters are obsessed with you," he said. "And ever since that moment, I wanted to be in a group. And it's kind of a full-circle moment to be here with a group and performing in front of you, so thank you, man."
Payne, ever the good sport, waved at one of the cameras to say, "Hi sisters!"
Later, he turned to Rowland. "I feel all warm," Payne said.
Five people, including hotel employees and Payne's friend Roger Nores, who was staying with him at the hotel, were charged in the aftermath.
Charges were dropped against all but two of the employees, who allegedly supplied Payne with drugs in the days before his death.
