AJ McLean chats with THR at Netflix's 2025 Tudum red carpet and dishes on his new show 'Building the Band.' Plus, he reflects on working with the late Liam Payne, saying he "wore his heart on his sleeve."
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00:00So tell me about this new show and how you got involved and all that.
00:03You know, Netflix gave me a call.
00:05No, it's called Building the Band.
00:08It is unlike any other show out there.
00:12At the epicenter and the heart of this show is one word, which is chemistry.
00:17You know, all these individuals are kind of sequestered off by themselves.
00:22They can't see each other.
00:23So they can only communicate by talking and singing for each other.
00:26And then they basically hit a button and they kind of try to form these bands without ever seeing each other.
00:33So it really is genuinely based on chemistry and talent.
00:37And, you know, when they advance throughout the show and they finally get to see each other,
00:42like that was the coolest thing for me to watch in real time.
00:46You know, I don't want to give anything away, but it was just like so sweet to see them like trying to sing
00:51and they couldn't even get the words out.
00:53They're like, oh, my God, it's you.
00:54Oh, I've been talking to you and I get to see your face.
00:57And, you know, it's just we truly have set the bar with the level of talent on this show.
01:03These individuals are unbelievably talented.
01:07And how is it for you to be on that other side and be in that judges section?
01:11You know, I mean, being the host and kind of mentor level as well, kind of flow through.
01:17You know, myself, Nicole Scherzinger, the late Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, all of us coming from kind of the biggest groups in the world.
01:28We all have different views on the business.
01:31But I think the collective experience, we can hopefully lend a helping hand to all these individuals,
01:40because we've all been through the good and the bad and the ugly and we've all come out the other end, you know.
01:46So to be to be a part of this journey for all these individuals and to kind of help them navigate, you know, is has been a real a real pleasure, honestly.
01:59You know, I wish I got to vote, but I don't because I'm the host.
02:02So because I I had some favorites.
02:05But honestly, I think everybody on the show was a automatic winner.
02:10Just having the guts to put yourself out there, you know.
02:13And obviously you mentioned Liam, but how is that for you to kind of watch back and having this come out and kind of reflecting on this whole time?
02:21You know, doing the finishing edits on the show and being, you know, doing all my final VOs, I had to watch a lot of the edits.
02:29And it was a little hard to watch, you know, because I haven't seen it until now.
02:35So, you know, I just know that the way he is being remembered and honored is is hopefully done as beautiful as we see it.
02:45And we got we got the OK from his family.
02:48And and I hope that the fans get to remember him the way that he was, which is just a light, a genuine spirit.
02:55He wore his heart on his sleeve.
02:56He was stupidly talented.
02:58Funny as all hell, had a great sense of humor and just a joy to work with.
03:04And hopefully we honor him the best way possible.
03:08And this is such a great, positive way for the world to remember him, honestly.
03:13And there is a great day.