Frazer Harrison/Getty; Karwai Tang/WireImage At 90s Con in Hartford, Conn., AJ McLean remembered his lateBuilding the Bandcostar Liam Payne The Backstreet Boy said the two singers bonded over their many similarities McLean said the show, slated to air this summer, will be dedicated to Payne Liam Payne's work onBuilding the Bandwillsoon be seen, and costarAJ McLeanis making sure people will remember. The two talented musicians worked alongside each other, as well as withNicole ScherzingerandKelly Rowland, as judges on the upcoming series, set to premiere later this summer. The Backstreet Boy looked back at his time with formerOne Directioner, who tragicallydied in October 2024 at age 31, during a panel at 90s Con in Hartford, Conn., in March. "The very last thing Liam did was work on this amazing TV show for Netflix calledBuilding the Band, which will be out this summer. And we're dedicating the show to him," McLean, 47, said at the time. "I got to really know him on a personal level and we had a lot of very similar life experiences, both in sobriety and out of sobriety." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. McLean paid tribute to Payne when news of his death became public last fall. Sharing a photo of the two of them from their time filming the competition series, he wrote, "Words cannot begin to express the pain I have for this man and the great loss we have endured!" "We became very close almost immediately and shared so many stories , laughs, and life experiences. Gone too soon my friend. You were such a light an incredible person to be in the presence of daily while we worked together! I cannot believe you are gone," McLean wrote. "Keep shining and keep singing for us all to hear. My deepest condolences to your family , loved ones, and your bandmates. Love you bro! 😢." Payne served as a guest judge on the series, which follows individual singers as they attempt to form the next great band without ever seeing one another. A source told PEOPLE at the time that series producers were shocked and saddened by the loss of the formerOne Directionstar. On May 14, 2025,Netflix confirmedthe show will air as planned, and feature Payne posthumously. Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty PEOPLE's source indicated that the "Strip That Down" singer had no behavioral issues during filming, and that there were zero issues on set with the star. In fact, the source added that Payne was so fulfilled by his experience onBuilding the Bandthat he wanted to continue working with the bands after production ended. Payne died in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from a balcony at his hotel.It was later confirmedhe died of "polytrauma," according to a hearing that took place in December 2024 at Buckinghamshire Coroner's Court, theBBC reported. Polytrauma means multiple injuries that involve multiple organs or systems, according to theNational Library of Medicine. Read the original article onPeople