Netflix May Never Air Completed Series After Star’s Tragic Death

Building the Band is another music competition series, but with a twist lifted from another hit Netflix series, Love is Blind. Competitors had to form bands without ever meeting, going solely by musical chemistry, but they were guided by the mentors, which included Liam Payne, the Pussycat Doll’s Nicole Scherzinger, and Destiny’s Child original member Kelly Rowland. Rounding out the musical nostalgia is the show’s host, Backstreet Boy AJ Mclean.

Netflix moved fast to get Building the Band finished, signing on back in May, with the last day of filming in August. The last days of filming included a huge three-day concert event, with Liam Payne fans in attendance to see the star. That’s the issue facing Netflix moving forward, as the series is done, and fans would love to see him one last time, but on the other hand, there’s no dealing with how long it will take his family and friends to recover from his death, if ever, and their wishes also have to be considered.

Liam Payne’s rapid rise to fame as a member of One Direction, which ironically came about because of the television series The X-Factor, when he partnered with his fellow contestants, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Harry Styles. The boy band became a worldwide sensation, selling over 70 million records, earning countless awards, and capturing the hearts of an entire generation. After the band broke up in 2016, Payne kept making music as a solo star.

The years since the end of One Direction were filled with ups and downs for Liam Payne, who, on his own, sold 17 million records and was poised for success following his hit first album. Payne was open about struggling with alcoholism, announcing his sobriety in 2023, along with his mental health struggles, which included ADHD. At the time of his death, officials found whiskey in his hotel room, along with different medications, bringing a tragic end to his young life at 31.

Celebrities have gone public with tributes to Liam Payne, including kind words from his former One Direction bandmates, his “For You” collaborator Rita Ora, Paris Hilton, Charlie Puth, and countless others. To an entire generation, this is like when John Lennon was shot; that’s how important One Direction was to millions and millions of fans worldwide.

It’s understandable if Netflix decides never to release Building the Band, but on the other hand, seeing Liam Payne happy and doing what he loved, performing and making music, could provide closure to whoever may need it. The streamer is in a no-win situation at the moment, and there’s no telling when a decision will be made.