Alison Ogden reflects on Building the Band, solo career plans, and friendship with former castmates

Building the Band Season 1 ended on July 23, 2025, on Netflix, with the group 3QUENCY winning the title.

In an exclusive interview with The Wrap on July 30, 2025, Alison Ogden talked about her time on the show, her respect for judge Liam Payne, and what she plans to do next now that her group, Sweet Seduction, has ended.

Alison said Payne, who was part of One Direction, gave advice that was different from the other judges.

She liked how he focused on being yourself and building strong bonds. She felt his own career story helped him understand the contestants’ journey.

She also gave updates about her life after the show. Sweet Seduction, which included Elise and Haley, will not continue as a band.

Alison is now returning to her solo career and has already started working on new songs and collaborations. She also spoke about her friendships from the show and her short romance with fellow contestant Conor.

Learning from Liam Payne and Building the Band judges

Alison said working with Liam Payne was special because of his experience and the advice he shared in Building the Band.

She called him “an incredible artist and creative force” and said he had shaped a lot of what people expect from boy bands.

She explained that while other judges gave feedback on “technicality of things and the vocals and the outfits and the wardrobe and the choreo,” Payne focused on “being you and forming strong connections.”

Alison liked that his journey started in a similar way to theirs. Payne began his career on The X Factor in 2010 and was put into One Direction with four other solo contestants. Alison said,

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“His perspective and his life experience… we were all able to connect with him in that way.”

She also said he was humble and easy to talk to. “He was just so nice and so humble and normal to talk to,” she recalled. Alison felt grateful for the chance to work with him, even if it was for a short time.

The other judges, Nicole Scherzinger, Kelly Rowland, and AJ McLean, also gave helpful tips. But Alison admitted Payne’s advice stayed with her the most. She plans to keep using what she learned from him as she focuses on her music.

Sweet Seduction breakup, solo career, and friendship with Conor in Building the Band

Alison confirmed that Sweet Seduction will not stay together. She said she had hoped the group would last, but things did not work out.

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“They’re both such incredibly talented women,” she said about Elise and Haley.

Alison explained that she had been pursuing a solo career before joining the band, so she will now return to that path. She has already written new songs, including “Sweet Surrender” with fellow cast member Mandy.

She still spends time with friends from the show, like Mandy and Cece. Alison said she wished the series had shown “more of the positive interactions” within Sweet Seduction, especially her close bond with Haley.

She also talked about her short romance with Conor.

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“We’ve decided to just be friends… we both have a lot of respect for each other,” she said.

Alison explained that they became close during the filming of Building the Band and even met in Europe afterward. They visited Paris together after the show wrapped, but distance and time differences made a relationship hard.

Even so, Alison is happy with how things ended. She said they still meet in group settings and enjoy catching up. For now, her focus is on making music, growing as an artist, and learning from her Building the Band experience.

Stay tuned for more updates.

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