This July, Netflix hit us with Building the Band, a brand new reality TV series, and this time round it’s all about bands. With 50 hopeful contestants and only 6 bands to be formed, there’s no room for any mistakes. And judges Kelly Rowland, Liam Payne, and Nicole Scherzinger are there to make sure of it. So, is this show worth the watch? Or is it merely a one-hit wonder?
X-Factor, The Voice, Pop Idol. The list of singing competition shows goes on and on. The question we’re all thinking is, what makes Building the Band any different? One of the main elements that makes this show so unique is that the contestants pick their own bandmates. We’ve seen it before where judges clump together their favourite contestants into an incohesive group to fit their vision. However, Building the Band sees contestants carrying out this process themselves. Contestants get to decide whether or not they like their fellow contestants’ voices, and then test their chemistry together.
How auditioning works
After hearing someone’s audition, those who liked it are given the opportunity to talk to the contestant before deciding whether or not to move forward in the band. This gives people a chance to discuss their visions for their band, such as the style and dynamic they’re looking for, a process which is often out of the hands of the contestants. Did I mention this is all done blind? That’s right. It’s like The Voice meets Love is Blind, as contestants pick their band members judged only on voice. This allows for more depth and avoids bands being formed on appearances, letting talent do all the talking. Only once the bands have been formed can the members see each other!
Episodes 1-4
The show is released in 3 parts, with each part flagging a different stage of the competition. Episodes 1-4 are focused on the audition process, where contestants must get at least 5 likes to continue on the show. These are the episodes where everything is done blindly. We get to see competitors forming connections and building their own bands. Once a band has been locked in, we finally get to see them meeting each other for the first time in the form of a performance. This format really throws the bands into the deep end, as they’re expected to give their first group performance without any preplanning.
Contestants who did not have enough connections to build a band were told their time on the show had ended. This narrowed the 50 original competitors down to less than half. At the end of episode 4, all the bands had finally been formed. They were: 3Quency, SZN4, Soulidified, Midnight ‘Til Morning, Sweet Seduction, and Siren Society.
Episodes 5-7
Episodes 5-7 are where we really get to see the bands coming together for the first time, as all the members move in together and must adapt to this new work and living dynamic. With the help of celebrity coach Nicole Scherzinger and choreographers Brian and Scott Nicholson, the newly formed bands must prepare for their first proper performance. This performance gets watched by the other competitors, allowing bands to scope out their rivals while showing off their talents. A standout performance from this first showcase was Soulidified with their cover of “U Remind Me” by Usher. Their effortless harmonies got everyone up on their feet, and Nicole commended them on their captivating performance.
After this initial showcase, the bands must learn to work under high pressure as they’re told they are to showcase their skills in front of a live audience for the first time in just a few days! But this is reality TV, which of course doesn’t come without some sort of drama. We see Connor from Midnight ‘Til Morning form a budding romance with Allison from Sweet Seduction, putting his band’s place in the competition in jeopardy as he shows up late to rehearsals and clearly has his mind elsewhere. But like true professionals, the band is able to resolve this Yoko Ono situation in time for their performance. This showcase is where judges Kelly Rowland (Destiny’s Child) and Liam Payne (One Direction) join Nicole Scherzinger in watching and offering feedback to the contestants.
First elimination
Sadly, episode 7 sees the elimination of the first band. The live audience votes for their favourites, and then the power is in the hands of the judges to save 1 of the bottom 2 acts. Siren Society and Midnight ‘Til Morning were at the bottom of the pack this time round. But Midnight ‘Til Morning’s performance of “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls was enough for the judges to want to see more, as they were given a second chance. And then there were 5…
Episodes 8-10
Bigger stage, bigger crowd, bigger performances. In the final 3 episodes, the pressure rises as the bands take to the stage for their biggest performances yet. There are costumes, choreography, backup dancers, and more, but of course only 1 band will come out victorious. Episode 8 sees the elimination of yet another girl band. This time it was Sweet Seduction who said goodbye to the stage. Their incohesiveness and lack of clear direction as a group meant their time on Building the Band sadly came to an end just before the final.
Moving on to episode 9. With the final so painfully close, there’s no worse time to get eliminated. It was the battle of the boy bands, the bottom 2 for this performance being Midnight ‘Til Morning and Soulidified. However, after being saved by the judges, it was Soulidified who joined the other 2 bands in the grand final. The battle for first place was on.
Entering episode 10, we had a diverse mix of bands, with SZN4 being a mixed gender band, 3Quency being a girl band, and of course Soulidified being a boy band. Unlike the previous performances where the live audience voted to keep in their favourites, here the fate of the contestants was entirely in the judges’ hands. With each band offering something different, first place was anyone’s game.
The final
3Quency kicked off the finals with an electrifying performance of “Have Mercy” by Chlöe. Being the only group to properly incorporate dance into their performance really paid off. They made the stage their own and bagged their way into the top 2. Next up was Soulidified, performing the boy band classic “Bye Bye Bye” by NYSNC. Their chemistry as a band and confidence made this performance maybe their best yet. Sadly, it wasn’t enough for them to find themselves in the top 2.
Last to perform was SZN4, taking a different approach than the previous 2 bands by choosing the song “Human” by Rag ‘n’ Bone Man. Despite their performance not having the same energy as the other finalists, they brought emotion and power and poured their hearts out on stage. There were tears all around as SZN4 secured their place in the top 2 acts.
This meant that 3Quency and SZN4 would go head-to-head in the final performance. Both bands gave it their all, and with their families watching in the audience, the support was evident. After 2 great final songs, the judges made the hard decision to crown 3Quency the winners of Building the Band. Despite placing second, SZN4 made it known that this is not the last we will see of them, as they will continue to work together as a band.
The final ended with a tribute to Liam Payne, dedicating the series to him and his family, reminding us of how influential he was as an artist and that he will forever be remembered for his musical talents.
What happens next?
With the final over you may be thinking…what happens now? Well the winners of the show, 3Quency, get a $500,000 cash prize which they have stated they intend to use to take care of their families and invest in themselves as a band. This could include a potential album or tour as they continue their musical endeavours as a band. But it isn’t just 3Quency who plan to continue their group after the show. Every band, apart from Sweet Seduction, is still working together and planning their next projects as bands!
Concluding thoughts
Now it’s no secret that singing competition shows have been done 1000 times over. While it is of course bound to get slightly repetitive, I do think Building the Band did a really good job at producing something unique. The show’s format works in its favour because it keeps the audience excited and adds an element of unexpectedness. Do I think this show is going to produce the next One Direction? No. But I do think it gives a platform to some really talented and deserving artists.
The fact that the power of building the bands is given to the contestants themselves is refreshing to see and offers a different dynamic to other singing competitions. The bands that were created on the show are full of talented singers who may not have been given the opportunity to showcase their abilities if it weren’t for Building the Band. With that being said, I do think overall the production and format of the show were very successful from a viewer’s point of view. I will definitely be looking out for season 2.
