Netflix Series Pays Homage to Liam Payne 9 Months After His Tragic Death: ‘Deep Love for Music’

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Backstreet Boys singer AJ McLean shared a heartfelt tribute dedicated to Liam Payne during the premiere episode 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 chart-topping performer, 47, said during the episode which dropped on Wednesday, July 9, honoring the legacy left behind by the One Direction icon.

McLean shared that viewers would get to enjoy special appearances from the late X Factor star on the show, as the episodes were filmed prior to his tragic death in October 2024.

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Last year, Payne died after falling from a third floor balcony of a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was just 31.

“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,” McLean fondly shared. “It’s through that spirit that we dedicate this series to Liam and his family.”

The show puts together groups of performers who don’t initially get the chance to see one another, pairing them up strictly on vocals and chemistry.

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In a previously released teaser clip, Payne reflected on his own rise to fame while offering words of wisdom to industry hopefuls chasing their dreams.

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“You got a lot of work to do vocally,” the late star, who appeared as a judge alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland, told one group of contestants on Building the Band. “I need to feel that connection between you guys.”

“To have these bands put together is not normal, we were put together that way,” Payne shared with another team.

Fans grew to love the soulful crooner after he auditioned for X Factor as a solo artist in 2008, returning to the show again in 2010, where he was paired with Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson to form 1D. Like many of his bandmates, Payne later embarked on a solo career and released his debut single, Strip That Down, in May 2017.

The Story of My Life singer’s sisters, Ruth and Nicola, both celebrated his accomplishments in sentimental posts about his time on the show.

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“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,” Nicola gushed via her Instagram Stories on June 28 after the release of a trailer.

Ruth posted her own message on her own Instagram Story, while noting it was bittersweet. “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,” she added. “He knew he had done a good job. We all told him this when we were at filming, but watching it back, wow!”