Building the Band is an American reality television singing competition that aired on Netflix in July 2025. The program format sees 50 artists form six groups through a selection process, which leads to eliminations until one group is selected as the winner and earning a $500,000 prize.

Format

In the first round, all 50 artists sang a solo performance to the rest of the contestants while in pods, unable to see one another. Each artist was able to send 10 "likes" to performers who they wanted to see in a band alongside them. Artists who received fewer than five likes or had only been liked by performers who had been eliminated or formed a band without them, were eliminated. At the end of the round, six bands formed, each containing three to five members, who met for the first time during subsequent performances; these then competed in showcases, with each eliminating a band.

History

AJ McLean

Netflix announced Building the Band in May 2024 and that Banijay UK subdivision Remarkable Entertainment would produce it. They announced its host and judges, AJ McLean, Liam Payne, Kelly Rowland, and Nicole Scherzinger, that August; the four had previously been members of the Backstreet Boys, One Direction, Destiny's Child, and the Pussycat Dolls. Production took place that summer of 2024, with the final performances taped in late August in Manchester. Payne died in October 2024; the show marked his final public appearance. Episodes were broadcast in batches between July 9 and July 23, 2025; the latter date also marked One Direction's 15th anniversary.

The Booths

The Booths color key
Artist eligible to form a band
Artist ineligible to form a band
Artist was eliminated with less than 5 likes
Artists formed a band

Episode 1

OrderContestantAgeHome State/CountrySongLikes
1Donzell Taggart25Arkansas"Jealous"20
2Alison Ogden24Maryland"Dangerous Woman"16
3Katie Roeder23Massachusetts"Unstoppable"18
4Chance Perez26California"There's Nothing Holdin' Me Back"3
5Kevin Chung29Georgia"Selfish"2
6Conor Smith22Australia"Drivers License"5
7Jenna Dave19Nevada"Too Little, Too Late"7
8Thomas Berberian20Brazil"Lego House"14
9Autumn Stallia20Maryland"Best Part"12
10Aaliyah Rose22Utah"Tummy Hurts"28
11Max Wright20California"Snooze"18
12Bri22New Jersey"How Deep Is Your Love"26
13Nori Royale23Georgia"Greedy"16
14Cameron Goode22Illinois"Almost is Never Enough"15
15Landon Boyce20Utah"Toxic"20

Episode 2

OrderContestantAgeHome State/CountrySongLikes
1Elise Kristine20Washington"You Broke Me First"28
2Malik Heard27Texas"Versace on the Floor"19
3Wennely Quezada24Missouri"Water"21
4Hannah Alexandra22Florida"Espresso"2
5Gabriella Lora25New York"Lean On"2
6Noriella25New York"The Door"16
7Shane Appell22New York"Lose Control"19
8Bradley Rittmann22Massachusetts"So Sick"12
9Shade Jenifer26Maryland"Let Me Love You"10
10Nico May21Wisconsin"Stick Season"12
11Cece Keating21Texas"Rise Up"9
12Valerie 'Vibi' Borghesi27Canada"Flowers"18

Episode 3

OrderContestantAgeHome State/CountrySongLikes
Group 1Aaliyah, Cameron, Donzell & Katie"Too Sweet"
1Zach Newbould21Massachusetts"Beautiful Things"23
2Mandy Rose23Virginia"What Was I Made For?"N/A
3Erica Padilla23Australia"Motivation"N/A
4Haley Gosserand20Missouri"Feather"N/A
5Maya Patel24Illinois"Ain't Nobody"10
6Jenna Marquis20California"Million Reasons"5
7Christian Kirk28North Carolina"We Don't Have to Take Our Clothes Off"14
8Brianna Mazzola24Pennsylvania"River"23
Group 2Bradley, Landon, Malik, & Shade"Finesse"
9Peter Carboni29Massachusetts"Slow It Down"N/A
10Jermarcus Riggins26Florida"I Can't Make You Love Me"N/A
11Mason Watts25Australia"Breakeven"N/A

Episode 4

OrderContestantAgeHome State/CountrySongLikes
Group 3Brianna, Nori & Wennely"Levitating"
Group 4Conor, Mason, Shane & Zach"Higher Power"
Group 5Autumn, Erica, Jenna D. & Noriella"Want to Want Me"
1Alexandra Starr29New YorkNot featuredN/A
2Eric Who25South CarolinaN/A
3Ethan Pugh26New YorkN/A
4Joey McGrew22TexasN/A
5Karlee Tanaka21HawaiiNot featuredN/A
6Pillow Prince26IllinoisNot featuredN/A

After five groups had been formed, Bri, Christian, Jenna M., Jermarcus, Karlee, Max, Maya, and Thomas were eliminated due to lack of remaining connections.

Episode 5

OrderContestantAgeHome State/CountrySongLikes
Group 6Alison, Elise & Haley"Into You"

After all six groups had been formed, Alexandra, Cece, Eric, Ethan, Joey, Mandy, Nico, Peter, Pillow, and Valerie (Vibi) were eliminated.

Notes

First Looks

EpisodeOrderBandSong
Episode 51Autumn, Erica, Jenna D. & Noriella"Love Yourself"
2Conor, Mason, Shane & Zach"Ocean Eyes"
Episode 63Aaliyah, Cameron, Donzell & Katie"Somebody That I Used To Know"
4Brianna, Nori & Wennely"Kill Bill"
5Bradley, Landon, Malik & Shade"U Remind Me"
6Alison, Elise & Haley"I Want It That Way"

Notes

The Showcases

Showcases color key
The Judges advanced The Band in the competition
The Band was eliminated

Band Names:

  • Band 1, Aaliyah, Cameron, Donzell & Katie, formed the group SZN4.
  • Band 2, Bradley, Landon, Malik & Shade, formed the group Soulidified; in episode 10 they changed their name to ICONYX.
  • Band 3, Brianna, Nori & Wennely, formed the group 3Quency.
  • Band 4, Conor, Mason, Shane & Zach, formed the group Midnight 'Til Morning.
  • Band 5, Autumn, Erica, Jenna D. & Noriella, formed the group Siren Society.
  • Band 6, Alison, Elise & Haley, formed the group Sweet Seduction.

Episode 7

OrderBandSongResult
1Sweet Seduction"Emotions"Safe
2Midnight 'Til Morning"Iris"Bottom two
3Siren Society"Don't Cha"Eliminated
4Soulidified"Sure Thing"Safe
53Quency"Made for Me"Safe
6SZN4"Sweet Love"Safe

Episode 8

OrderBandSongResult
1SZN4"Believer"Safe
2Sweet Seduction"Ghost"Eliminated
3Soulidified"Can We Talk"Safe
4Midnight 'Til Morning"The Reason"Bottom two
53Quency"Bad Guy"Safe

Episode 9

OrderBandSongResult
1SZN4"Bust Your Windows"Safe
2Midnight 'Til Morning"Circles"Eliminated
33Quency"Have You Ever?"Safe
4Soulidified"Saturn"Bottom two

Episode 10

OrderBandSongOrderSongResult
13Quency"Have Mercy"5"Always Be My Baby"Winners
2ICONYX"Bye Bye Bye"N/A already eliminatedThird place
3SZN4"Human"4"Blinding Lights"Runner-up

Elimination chart

Although the show was advertised with 50 contestants, only 44 were revealed to the public.

Results color key
WinnerBottom two
Runner-upFormed a group
Third placeDid not perform
Eliminated
Elimination chart for Building the Band lp
ArtistsBandsEpisodes
12345678910
Brianna Mazzola3QuencySafeGroupSafeSafeSafeSafeWinners
Nori RoyaleSafe
Wennely QuezadaSafe
Aaliyah RoseSZN4SafeGroupSafeSafeSafeSafeRunner-up
Cameron GoodeSafe
Donzell TaggartSafe
Katie RoederSafe
Bradley RittmannICONYX (Soulidified)SafeGroupSafeSafeSafeBottom twoThird place
Landon BoyceSafe
Malik HeardSafe
ShadeSafe
Conor SmithMidnight 'Til MorningSafeGroupSafeBottom twoBottom twoEliminated
Mason WattsSafe
Shane AppellSafe
Zach NewbouldSafe
Alison OgdenSweet SeductionSafeGroupSafeSafeEliminated
Elise KristineSafe
Haley GosserandSafe
Autumn StalliaSiren SocietySafeGroupSafeEliminated
Erica PadillaSafe
Jenna DaveSafe
NoriellaSafe
Alexandra StarrSafeEliminated
Cece KeatingSafeEliminated
Eric WhoSafeEliminated
Ethan PughSafeEliminated
Joey McGrewSafeEliminated
Mandy RoseSafeEliminated
Nico MaySafeEliminated
Peter CarboniSafeEliminated
Pillow PrinceSafeEliminated
Valerie BorgeshiSafeEliminated
Christian KirkSafeEliminated
Jenna MarquisSafeEliminated
Jermarcus RigginsSafeEliminated
Karlee TanakaEliminated
Max WrightSafeEliminated
Maya PatelSafeEliminated
Thomas BerberianSafeEliminated
BriSafeEliminated
Gabriella LoraEliminated
Hannah AlexandraEliminated
Kevin ChungEliminated
Chance PerezEliminated

Notes

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"The Pinky Promise"July 9, 2025(2025-07-09)
2"Locked In"July 9, 2025(2025-07-09)
3"The Magic Number"July 9, 2025(2025-07-09)
4"I Always Get What I Want"July 9, 2025(2025-07-09)
5"The First Look"July 16, 2025(2025-07-16)
6"Breaking the Band"July 16, 2025(2025-07-16)
7"The Showcase"July 16, 2025(2025-07-16)
8"The Big Stage"July 23, 2025(2025-07-23)
9"The Pressure is On"July 23, 2025(2025-07-23)
10"The Finals"July 23, 2025(2025-07-23)

External links