“It’s Beautiful, Beautiful Music”: AJ McLean Says Liam Payne’s Unreleased Songs Deserve to Be Heard — Will the World Ever Get to Listen?

AJ McLean Says Liam Payne’s Unreleased Music Is “Beautiful” and Hopes Fans Will Hear It Someday

Backstreet Boys star AJ McLean has spoken publicly about Liam Payne’s unreleased solo material, calling it “a great body of work” and expressing hope that fans will eventually be able to hear it.

Speaking during a press appearance ahead of Netflix’s upcoming music competition series Building The Band, McLean reflected on the time he spent with Payne while filming the show in summer 2024. The series, which launches its first episodes on 9 July, features Payne as a judge alongside Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland, with McLean taking on hosting duties.

Although McLean and Payne had met previously, it was during the intensive five-week filming schedule that the pair formed a deeper bond. “We were spending 12 to 14 hour days with each other for about five weeks,” McLean explained. “He lit up any room that he walked into, whether it was the makeup room, dressing room, on set. Wherever he was, he lit up that space with his energy, with his open heart, open mind.”

McLean went on to describe Payne as “well spoken, very supportive, rigorously honest, in a compassionate way. He always spoke from the heart.”

The singer also shared that Payne had privately played him some of the music he had been working on, none of which has yet been released. McLean described the tracks as “a great body of work,” adding: “I hope that the world and that the fans get to hear it somewhere down the road. It’s beautiful, beautiful music.”

The interview marks one of the first public comments by someone closely involved with Payne’s final professional project. Building The Band was completed prior to Payne’s untimely death and will now be released posthumously.

While Payne’s musical legacy remains largely defined by his chart-topping work with One Direction and his solo releases like LP1, fans have long speculated about unreleased songs he had teased during social media livestreams and private showcases. McLean’s remarks confirm that Payne had indeed been actively writing and recording music in his final months.

Netflix is yet to confirm whether any of Payne’s unreleased tracks will feature in Building The Band, but McLean’s comments have fuelled hope among fans that the music may be released in the future, possibly as part of a posthumous project or tribute.

As anticipation builds for the series premiere, McLean’s heartfelt tribute adds another emotional layer to what will now be viewed as one of Liam Payne’s final appearances. “He was just a light,” McLean said. “He brought so much heart to everything he did. And I truly hope the world gets to see — and hear — all of that.”