Liam Payne may be gone, but he’s certainly not forgotten.
The late One Direction singer received an emotional tribute from host AJ McLean during the premiere of his new Netflix reality competition series Building the Band.
“When we came together to film Building the Band, we never imagined we’d soon be saying goodbye to our friend Liam Payne,” the Backstreet Boys band member announced at the top of the episode, which debuted July 9. “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.”
AJ added, “It’s through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.”
Building the Band marks Liam’s last TV appearance and comes nearly nine months after he died at the age of 31 due to the fall from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
The new series—in which the “Strip That Down” singer appears as a judge alongside fellow music industry veterans Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger—brings together 50 young singers and artists into booths where they weren’t able to physically see each other, instead opting to join in on bands together based only on the sound of their voices. From there, groups had to work together to become a cohesive unit, performing live on stage to earn that top spot.
In a previously released teaser for the show, Liam advised a group of industry hopefuls using the knowledge he gained from auditioning for X Factor with 1D in 2010 before they became global superstars.
“You got a lot of work to do vocally,” he told the up-and-comers. “I need to feel that connection between you guys.”
He shared with another team of contestants, “To have these bands put together is not normal, we were put together that way.”
As for what Liam’s family thinks of his posthumous TV appearance, his sisters Ruth Gibbins and Nicola Payne gave Netflix their blessing on the show, which was filmed just two months before his untimely October 2024 passing.
“Over the years I’ve shared many achievements and momentous occasions as a proud sister and I couldn’t be prouder of this show, and I know you are so proud too,” Nicola, 37, wrote on her Instagram Stories June 28 following the trailer release. “Watching this over the past few months has given me/us a way to still feel close to you and see you at your best and I’m so glad the world gets to see it all now too. You truly are a shining star, miss you more than words can say, love you more than that.”
Ruth echoed on her own social media channel, “I didn’t know whether to share this but it felt weird when I’ve raved about Liam’s work and achievements for the last 15 years. I’m heartbroken he never got to see how great he is in this show. He knew he had done a good job. We all told him this when we were at filming, but watching it back, wow!”
Keep reading for a look back at Liam’s life in pictures.
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