Liam Payne’s memory lives on in “Building the Band.” The late One Direction singer makes his final television appearance in the new Netflix singing competition — and fans are tuning in to see his last moments on screen.

Acknowledging the loss right off the bat, the first episode opens with a touching tribute to Payne.

Netflix’s “Building the Band” paid tribute to Liam Payne during episode 1. Payne, who died at age 31 in October 2024, posthumously appears as a judge on the reality competition series. At the start of the premiere episode, host AJ McLean acknowledged Payne’s death.