You’ve seen the TikToks. The ones where people call him "Temu Harry Styles" or post side-by-side clips of him and the 1D alum holding a microphone. Honestly, it’s hard to miss. But if you actually watched the Netflix series Building the Band—the final, bittersweet project involving the late Liam Payne—you know that Conor building the band wasn't just about a haircut and some tattoos. It was a chaotic, high-stakes experiment that nearly imploded because of a 5:00 a.m. kiss and a trip to Paris that hadn't even happened yet.
The show's premise was wild. Fifty singers in soundproof booths. They could hear each other, but they couldn't see each other. It was basically Love Is Blind meets The Voice. Conor Smith, a 22-year-old Aussie with a history on The Voice Australia, ended up in a group called Midnight 'Til Morning (MTM). And while the "building" part of the band should have been about harmonies and choreography, it quickly turned into a drama about whether Conor would even stay in the room.
The Midnight 'Til Morning Meltdown
When we talk about Conor building the band, we have to talk about the friction. Most reality TV is scripted, sure, but the tension between Conor and his bandmates—Mason Watts, Shane Appell, and Zach Newbould—felt painfully real.
The group was actually talented. They had this moody, pop-rock edge that the judges—Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and Liam Payne—seemed to dig. But then came Alison Ogden. She was in a rival girl group called Sweet Seduction. Conor fell hard, and he fell fast. He was skipping rehearsals. He was showing up late. He was, as his bandmate Mason famously put it, bringing a "Yoko Ono" vibe into the mix before the band had even played a real gig.
"I had a very lovely night. We spent a lot of time talking about our emotions. We may have kissed. We went to bed at 5 am." — Conor Smith to his bandmates in Episode 6.
That quote basically summed up the problem. While the other guys were grinding on "Higher Power" and "Ocean Eyes," Conor was off in another world. At one point, he almost quit. He literally threatened to walk because the guys were (rightfully) annoyed that his head wasn't in the game. It’s a miracle they made it to the semi-finals at all.
Why the Harry Styles Comparisons Stick (And Why They’re Lazy)
People love a pigeonhole. Conor wears the hats, he’s got the tattoos, and he’s got that specific "I just rolled out of bed but I look expensive" aesthetic. But if you listen to his vocals on their cover of "Iris" or "The Reason," there’s a different texture there. He’s more of a classic rock soul trapped in a modern pop star’s body. He’s cited Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan as his actual influences back during his The Voice days.
The "Temu Harry" label is funny for a comment section, but it misses the point of what he was doing on the show. He was trying to figure out how to be an individual while being forced into a collective. That’s the hardest part of any boy band origin story.
What Happened After the Cameras Stopped?
Midnight 'Til Morning didn't win. They came in fourth. The girl group 3QUENCY took the $500,000 prize. But weirdly, MTM is the group that seems to have the most legs post-show.
A lot of people think reality show bands vanish the second the credits roll. Not these guys.
- They signed with Chugg Music (the same folks who handle Lime Cordiale and Sheppard).
- They flew to Sydney for a month-long intensive studio session.
- They released their debut single "Bye" in August 2025.
- They dropped an EP called Afterglow in October 2025.
As for the Alison drama? They actually did go to Paris together after filming. It wasn't just talk. But as anyone who has tried to date someone on a different continent knows, Australia to LA is a brutal commute. They’re just friends now. Alison is doing her solo thing, and Conor is fully locked in with the boys.
The Real Legacy of Building the Band
It’s impossible to watch Conor and the guys without thinking about Liam Payne. This was his project. He was there to mentor them because he lived it—he was the kid who got thrown into a band on a whim and had to figure out how to survive global superstardom.
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You can see his influence in how he talked to Conor during those tense moments. He wasn't just a judge; he was a guy who knew exactly what happens when ego and romance collide with a record contract.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you're following the trajectory of MTM and Conor Smith, here is what you actually need to know:
- Check the Credits: Their single "Bye" wasn't some generic pop filler. It was co-written by Benson Boone and Amy Allen (who writes for Sabrina Carpenter). That’s a massive signal that the industry is taking them seriously.
- Tour Dates: They are currently on a world tour in early 2026. If you want to see if Conor actually has the stage presence to back up the hype, catch a live set.
- Ignore the Edit: Reality TV needs a villain. Conor played the part of the distracted lover perfectly, but the fact that the band stayed together and moved to Australia to record tells a much different story about his commitment.
The process of Conor building the band was messy, loud, and occasionally annoying to watch, but it resulted in a group that is actually making music people want to hear. Whether they can shake the "Netflix band" label remains to be seen, but they’ve already lasted longer than most groups formed on a soundstage.
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To stay updated on their 2026 tour cycle, you should keep an eye on the official Chugg Music socials or the band's TikTok, where they've moved past the show's drama and into full-time musician mode.