Liam Payne’s sister Ruth reveals her heartache as Midnight ‘Til Morning pay tribute to late singer after they worked together on Building the Band

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Liam Payne’s sister, Ruth Gibbins, recently opened up about how she’s dealing with the grief following his passing, sharing a heartfelt message.

Ruth went to see Midnight ‘Til Morning perform on Wednesday. Liam previously collaborated with the band on the Netflix show, Building The Band.

She shared that the band honored her late brother at the show by playing “Midnight,” a song he had previously worked on with DJ Alesso.

The concert was especially meaningful for Ruth, as it was her first time attending a live performance since her brother passed away in October 2024.

On Friday, Ruth shared on Instagram that she used to feel very anxious about going to concerts.

Liam loved live music, concerts, and singing, and it’s heartbreaking to think about enjoying those things without him here.

Ruth added that hearing @midnighttilmorning perform was the moment she realized she was ready to start going to live music venues again.

‘Liam will be so proud of you all’. 

Midnight ‘Til Morning came together through the TV show Building the Band, where musicians created groups without ever meeting in person, connecting only through their music and how well they played together.

Liam was a judge on the show with Nicole Scherzinger and Kelly Rowland, and he shared that he particularly liked the group Midnight ‘Til Morning. He explained that the group – made up of Conor Smith, Mason Watts, Shane Appell, and Zach Newbould – reminded him of the boy band One Direction, and he had a fondness for them because of it.

It’s just… heartbreaking knowing he filmed everything only months before it happened. He was only 31! And the tragedy in Argentina… falling from that balcony… it still feels so unreal. I can’t believe he’s gone, especially knowing how much he poured into this series right before… it just breaks my heart all over again.

Midnight ‘Til Morning shared that they were deeply influenced by the late One Direction member and that he played a significant role in their career.

Everyone really admired him. After all, he was in one of the biggest bands of all time,” they shared on The Hot Hits with Nic and Loren.

We’re all motivated to succeed, especially for him. He had a lot of faith in us, and we want to prove him right by following his guidance and making this work.

They shared, “I really believe he would be incredibly proud. He’d be thrilled to see everything we’ve accomplished, especially how quickly we came together and started working after the show ended.”

‘We really, really all want this. I think he would love to see that.’ 

The band also revealed the emotional impact of Liam’s passing and how it strengthened their bond. 

‘When he passed, it was just such a shock, and our project meant so much more to us after that. 

After everything that happened, Mason sent us a message offering his ongoing support, saying he’d be there for us if we ever struggled with our mental health. It was incredibly touching and really showed us how much he cared. We miss him terribly.

Liam’s last television appearance was on Building The Band, and he’s now been nominated for an award recognizing his work, even after his passing.

The star is up for Favorite On Screen at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.

Ruth recently begged fans to vote for Liam after having problems trying to vote internationally.  

I attempted to confirm this by voting, but my vote wasn’t accepted. If this is legitimate, could you please vote on my behalf?

It’s strange hearing Liam say ‘I bet you want to vote for Wicked, right?’ It reminds me of when people used to ask me to vote for him – it feels like a look back at my past.

Ruth sadly concluded: ‘Ah mate, how did this happen.’

Liam’s parents, Geoff and Karen, agreed to let Netflix release the reality series, hoping it would be a positive and lasting memory of their son.

Nicole Scherzinger, a friend and colleague of the late singer, shared that his parents were deeply moved and incredibly proud of his final project, predicting he would have truly excelled in it.

It was really tough watching Nicole on Access Hollywood talk about working with him. She got understandably emotional remembering him, especially considering how tragically he died – falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires back in October 2024. It was heartbreaking to see her reflect on it all.

There was some uncertainty about whether the show would continue, but Nicole explained that Liam’s parents believed his on-screen talent deserved recognition.

Nicole explained that Liam was incredibly important to everyone, and they were all very aware and considerate throughout the situation.

We eventually let his family decide what to do, wanting to be respectful of their feelings and wishes for the future. His parents were present during the filming process.

They were fantastic and incredibly supportive. They stayed with us and Liam throughout the whole thing, offering help every step of the way.

Honestly, it just means everything to me knowing his family actually loved how he was portrayed on the show. They were so happy with it, they actually told us! They were like, ‘This is perfect, this is exactly how we want people to remember Liam,’ and that just… it makes all the difference. It feels like we really did him justice, and they approved. I’m obsessed with knowing they felt that way.

Nicole, known for creating the band One Direction during her time on The X Factor despite initial resistance from Simon Cowell, expressed her excitement about Liam’s performance, saying she’s ‘thrilled for everyone to see him shine.’

It was clear he was thrilled to be back where it all began. He started his career on a talent show, achieved worldwide fame, and now he’s able to pay it forward by mentoring and supporting up-and-coming bands. It felt like a perfect full-circle moment for him.

‘I know that he really enjoyed our filming process and being a part of this process.’

‘I know that he put in the extra hours that he wanted to work with these bands even off screen.’

I’m really excited for audiences to see Liam’s character and the positive energy he brings to the show. He was incredible – there were moments where I was genuinely impressed by his lines and wished I’d thought of them myself!

He excelled in this position, and giving back to others was a natural talent of his. He was a genuinely kind and thoughtful person, and brought a lot of experience to the table. His time working with One Direction gave him valuable insights and a strong understanding of the industry.

Liam put in extra hours to mentor aspiring musicians as they formed bands for the streaming platform.

I completely understood how he felt! He’d been in our shoes – one minute nervously auditioning, and then, incredibly, just eighteen months later, he was in the biggest boy band of all time. It was amazing to see someone who truly ‘got’ what we were going through.

Nicole remembered sitting next to Liam when a judge was very impressed with her, saying, ‘I haven’t forgotten the day I first saw Liam audition on The X Factor – we knew we had something special.’

After that initial push, they really took the reins and ran with it all on their own. And honestly, seeing him achieve that same level of worldwide success – the kind he experienced with One Direction – it was all him. It was just incredible, a true phenomenon to witness.

It was really inspiring to see him succeed, then return to share his advice and mentor the contestants.

I’m not sure if writing a book was the right thing to do, but it felt complete and truly beautiful.

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2026-01-16 16:27