Liam Payne Remembered in ‘Building the Band' Netflix Show

Miami Herald

6 days ago

Building the Band paid tribute to late guest judge Liam Payne during the Netflix show's premiere episode on Wednesday.
Newsweek reached out to a Netflix spokesperson via email for comment.
Payne died on October 16 at the age of 31 after falling from a third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. His cause of death was "polytrauma," meaning multiple traumatic injuries, according to U.K. coroner Dr. Roberto Victor Cohen.
Prior to his death, the former One Direction member was a judge on Building the Band alongside host and Backstreet Boy AJ McLean. Other judges on the show include Nicole Scherzinger of The Pussycat Dolls and Kelly Rowland of Destiny's Child.
The reality television competition appears to follow a similar format to Love Is Blind, where contestants create their own musical groups based on hearing their vocals, rather than seeing what they look like.
The first episode of the new series began with a message from McLean:
"When we came together to film Building the Band, we never imagined we'd soon be saying goodbye to our friend Liam Payne," the 47-year-old said. "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. It's through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family."
In an interview with Today earlier this month, McLean gave insight into filming with the musician.
"He lit up any room that he walked into, whether it was the makeup room, dressing room, on set. Wherever he was, he lit up that space with his energy, with his open heart, open mind," he shared. "He was just so well spoken, very supportive, rigorously honest, in a compassionate way. He always spoke from the heart."
McLean added that Payne was "the coolest dude" and "an absolute sweetheart," noting that he was not only "funny" but "witty" too.
Payne rose to fame as one-fifth of One Direction, the boy band formed on The X Factor in 2010 that became a global sensation with hits like "What Makes You Beautiful" and "Story of My Life." The group went on hiatus in 2016, with each member pursuing solo careers.
In a joint statement posted to Instagram at the time of Payne's death, the One Direction members wrote: "We're completely devastated by the news of Liam's passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly."
New episodes of Building the Band will be released on Wednesdays in July on Netflix:
July 9: Episodes 1-4July 16: Episodes 5-7July 23: Episodes 8-10
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