It has been eight months since former One Direction member Liam Payne died, leaving a void in the singing industry. The news of his demise sent shockwaves across the globe and among his fans, who were eagerly waiting to watch the singer on the reality singing competition, Building the Band. Following Payne’s unexpected death, there were speculations on whether or not the show would go ahead. Now, the producers have unveiled the first look of the show.
After watching the Building The Band video, Payne’s elder sister Ruth Gibbins took to her Instagram Story and expressed her feelings about seeing her brother appear on the show.
Sharing the trailer, she wrote, “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 filming, but watching it back, wow!”
“You’re a star Liam, you always were and always will be. There are a range of emotions I felt watching this, but one of the main ones is immeasurable pride, always. Miss you more every day,” she concluded.
Coming to Building the Band, Netflix’s upcoming show features him as one of the judges along with Kelly Rowland and Nicole Scherzinger. In the 10-episode reality singing competition, the makers bring together fresh talents, and a group of singers get the opportunity to form their bands in individual booths. Without ever seeing each other, they will have to choose their perfect bandmates solely based on connection, musical compatibility, and, most importantly, merit.
Those interested can watch the first four episodes of Building the Band on Netflix on Wednesday, July 9. Following this, the makers will drop episodes 5-7 and 8-10 on July 16 and July 23, respectively.
Liam Payne died on October 16, 2024, at the age of 31 after a fatal fall from a third-story hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Initial reports suggested Payne’s tragic death was a result of severe internal and external haemorrhages and traumatic injuries.
As per the toxicology reports, the singer had large quantities of substances in his system, like cocaine, prescription drugs and a nearly life-threatening blood-alcohol content at the time of his death.