Liam Payne's parents, Geoff and Karen, approved the release of their son's final project, "Building the Band," which debuts on Netflix just nine months after the singer's death in Buenos Aires.
They made the decision after watching the series and feeling that it captured their son exactly as they wanted the public to remember him.
"They were like, 'Oh yes, this is how we want everyone to remember Liam,'" said Nicole Scherzinger, who worked alongside Payne as a judge on the show.
The former One Direction star died in October 2024 after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. He had completed filming for "Building the Band" earlier that year. The series follows aspiring musicians as they compete to form new groups, with guidance from celebrity judges.
Nicole Scherzinger, who was also a judge on "The X Factor" when One Direction was formed, said Payne threw himself into his role. "He put in the extra hours that he wanted to work with these bands even off screen," she said. "I know that he really enjoyed our filming process and being a part of this."
During the show, Payne also performed for fans during breaks. "When we were on a break, he actually sang "What Makes You Beautiful" to his fans because they were all freaking out that he was there," Scherzinger recalled. "That was a special memory."
The filming experience brought full-circle moments for both judges. "I still remember the day that I saw Liam auditioning on "The X Factor." We were onto something," she said. "He had the global success that he had with One Direction in himself. It was a phenomenon."
Family Support Made The Release Possible
Scherzinger said Liam's parents were present during the shoot and remained involved throughout the process. "They were actually kind of sat right next to us through the whole process, and they've been with Liam and with us through this entire process," she said. "So to know that we had their blessing, to know that they were so proud of him on the show, meant everything."
She added that the cast and crew deferred to the family's wishes. "We ultimately left it into his family's hands and wanted to respect how they felt about everything and how to move forward."
The show also stars Kelly Rowland and AJ McLean, who joined Scherzinger and Payne in mentoring contestants. "It was awesome," Scherzinger said. "Liam talked us all to put on a full show at concert. It was amazing."
"Building the Band" premieres on Netflix July 9.
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