Zayn Malik paid an emotional tribute to his late One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne, during the opening night of his Stairway to the Sky tour in Leeds, England, on Saturday.
A projection on stage displayed the words, “Liam Payne 1993-2024 Love you bro,” accompanied by a red heart, marking a heartfelt moment in Malik’s performance. The tribute came just weeks after Payne’s untimely death in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Malik, 31, had postponed the US leg of his tour in October, citing the “heartbreaking loss” of Payne. Earlier this month, he also rescheduled his Edinburgh, Scotland, concerts to December due to “unforeseen circumstances,” making Saturday’s show in Leeds the official debut of his tour.
The Pillowtalk singer attended Payne’s funeral in England’s Home Counties earlier in the week, alongside former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson. It was the first public reunion of the group in nearly nine years. Malik was seen conversing with Tomlinson before entering the church to pay respects.
Payne passed away on October 16 after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires. Officials confirmed he died from multiple traumas resulting in internal and external bleeding. Reports also indicated drugs were found in his system, and witnesses described erratic behavior in his final hours.
Malik had previously honored Payne with a moving Instagram post, sharing a photo of them as teenagers and expressing his regret for not thanking him for his support during difficult times. “I respected him for being sensible and headstrong,” Malik wrote in the tribute.
Payne’s death is not being investigated as a suicide, though three individuals have been charged in connection with the incident.
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