What Is Building the Band? Liam Payne’s Netflix Competition Series

Months before Liam Payne’s tragic death, the former One Direction member filmed an appearance as a mentor on Netflix’s upcoming competition series, Building the Band.

Us Weekly confirmed that Payne died at age 31 on Wednesday, October 16. He suffered “serious injuries” after falling from a third-story balcony at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to Buenos Aires emergency service chief Alberto Crescenti.

Building the Band was greenlit by Netflix in May, though filming on the series wrapped in August. Per Deadline, most Netflix series go into post-production for about three to six months after filming. Despite this, the series does not yet have a premiere date, and it is unclear how Netflix plans to move forward following Payne’s death.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, producers for the series were “shocked” by the news of the One Direction alum’s death, and noted that it was too soon for decisions to be made about the show considering the magnitude of the loss.

Keep scrolling to learn more about Netflix’s Building the Band:

Has ‘Building the Band’ wrapped filming?

Building the Band wrapped filming in August. The production consisted of three live shows filmed in front of an audience at Aviva Studios in Manchester. Some One Direction fans who attended the recording had the opportunity to meet Payne, posting photos with the singer on social media.

Who will appear on ‘Building the Band’?

Former One Direction member Payne served as a mentor on Building the Band alongside Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls and Destiny’s Child alum Kelly Rowland, with Backstreet Boys member AJ McLean as the host.

Rowland spoke positively of her experience working with Payne. In an August 2024 interview with People, she said, “Liam is absolutely hilarious. I didn’t know how funny he was, so I’m getting to know him, and he is so cool.”

As for Scherzinger, the singer was notably a judge on X Factor UK in 2010 and, alongside Simon Cowell, assembled One Direction after auditions. The group consisted of Payne, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik and Niall Horan.

What Is the Premise of ‘Building the Band’?

Building the Band brought 50 singers together for this competition series where they will attempt to form their own band without ever seeing each other. The idea is for the musicians to connect through “musical compatibility, connection, chemistry and merit.”

Per EW, Netflix described Building the Band as “a truly unique competition show where building the perfect band is all about chemistry,” further teasing, “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.”

Does ‘Building the Band’ Have a Release Date?

A premiere date for Building the Band has not been set.