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Netflix has a new reality TV competition that is sure to break your heart. The streamer has officially released the first season of Building The Band, which brings artists together and tasks them to sort themselves into bands—without ever seeing each other in person.
Ahead of the show’s premiere, one of the judges, Nicole Scherzinger, explained the similarities the new series shares with another Netflix powerhouse. Strangely enough, the structure seems to have a lot in common with a major dating show.
Nicole Compared The Competition To Another Netflix Series
One of the judges, pop icon Nicole Scherzinger, explained to Access that fans might already be familiar with the competition’s format. That is, the musicians would be able to listen to one another perform, but only sight unseen, meaning they’d be placing themselves into groups without ever laying eyes on each other.
Nicole elaborated on the show’s structure, drawing a comparison to another popular Netflix series:
It’s a musical band version of Love Is Blind, and it’s really cool because these contestants are putting themselves together in a band, having never seen one another, and just getting to connect with each other in these booths listening to each other and asking each other questions.
This means that, in the early episodes of the show, the judges don’t yet appear. Host AJ McLean helps the singers navigate the initial stages of the series, which involves the contestants blindly performing for one another.
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Building The Band Even Has Their Own Versions Of ‘Pods’
One of the most notable parts of Love Is Blind is the “pods” that contestants sit in as they date. While on the dating series, contestants meet two at a time, speaking with a divider between them, the structure of Building The Band is a little different.
In total, Building The Band brings 50 potential cast members together—and each has their own sound booth where they sit, listen to performances, and cast their votes. In the first round, all contestants get a chance to sing a song of their choosing, while also voting for a total of ten of their favorite performances.
Similar to how singles on Love Is Blind can walk away without any matches, artists on Building The Band can also be forced to walk away empty-handed. If a singer doesn’t get at least five votes from others who’d want to group up with them, they’re officially eliminated from the show.
Beyond the eliminations, another heartbreaking element of the show comes in the form of late pop star Liam Payne’s last TV appearance before his sudden death. Nicole also explained in her same conversation with Access how excited she was for fans to see Liam in his best light as a guest judge:
I’m so thrilled for everyone to see Liam shine on this show. I know that he really enjoyed our filming process and being a part of this process. I know that he put in the extra hours that he wanted to work with these bands even off screen. So, when I think about Liam and this show I’m thrilled for everyone to see his light and he was amazing.
Episodes of Building The Band are available to stream on Netflix now.
- Network
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Netflix
- Cast
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Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, Liam Payne, AJ McLean
- Genre
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Reality TV
- Premiere Date
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July 9, 2025
Building The Band is a music competition reality series that takes a unique approach to forming the next big pop group. Premiering July 9, 2025, on Netflix, the show begins with 50 solo singers auditioning in blind, isolated pods, where they can only hear each other’s voices. Contestants swipe “like” or “pass” as they listen, focusing purely on vocal chemistry rather than looks or personality. From there, selected musicians join forces to form six separate bands, moving through a series of challenges including live performances, songwriting workshops, and branding exercises. The show emphasizes not just vocal talent but also teamwork, versatility, and group cohesion, with the goal of launching a real, fully developed music act by the end of the season.
Guiding the competition is a high-profile judging panel made up of music industry veterans: Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and the late Liam Payne, with hosting duties handled by AJ McLean. Each judge brings personal experience from global groups—Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls, Rowland from Destiny’s Child, and Payne from One Direction—offering both critique and hands-on mentorship to the contestants. Their feedback isn’t limited to vocal performance; they also focus on interpersonal dynamics, branding, and long-term career viability. Liam Payne’s participation adds an emotional layer to the series, as Building The Band marks his final project before his passing in 2024. Throughout the show, viewers witness not just the formation of new bands but also honest, often vulnerable conversations about fame, pressure, and what it takes to truly succeed as a collective rather than as a solo act.
