In his first performance following the passing of his former bandmate, Zayn Malik, returning to the stage for the first time since Liam Payne's passing, he paid tribute to his "brother."
As part of his "Stairway to the Sky" tour, the artist, who is 31 years old and rescheduled several concert dates in the aftermath of the untimely death of his buddy, performed at the O2 Academy in Leeds, according to The Sun.
His One Direction bandmates were seen in public together for the first time in nine years as they paid their respects at his burial. Liam passed away on October 16 after falling from the third-floor balcony of a hotel in Argentina.
While opening his performance over the weekend, Zayn stepped in front of a background with the words "Liam Payne 1993-2024." With a red heart, it stated: "Love you, bro."
The crowd was overcome with emotion due to the message, which has been extensively disseminated throughout social media.
According to The Daily Mail, Zayn's first-ever solo tour was scheduled to start in San Francisco on October 23. However, the dates in the United States have been pushed back to January, and a gig in Edinburgh, which was supposed to take place on the same day as Liam's funeral, has been rescheduled to December 8.
Former band members Harry Styles, 30, Niall Horan, 31, Louis Tomlinson, 32, and Zayn arrived in different vehicles for a heartfelt farewell service at the church.
Harry, dressed in black, arrived for the burial in a BMW. Niall, who was attending with his girlfriend, Amelia Woolley, was also present, while Zayn Malik arrived shortly after Louis.
After withdrawing from the group's global tour in August 2015, Zayn was the first member of One Direction to leave the band, claiming "stress" as the reason for his departure. In January of 2016, the band made the formal announcement that they were going to split up, which broke the hearts of millions of fans all over the world.
He reported the previous week that his shows, which were planned to take place in Edinburgh the following week, had been delayed due to "unforeseen circumstances."
An accompanying statement was posted on his tour management's social media accounts. The statement said, “Due to unforeseen circumstances Zayn Stairway To The Sky Edinburgh show original scheduled for November 20 has been rescheduled for December 8.”
“A further date on November 21 at the same O2 Academy Edinburgh venue has been moved to December 9. All tickets for the original show dates will be honoured on the rescheduled dates,” it continued.
Although fans were dissatisfied with the news, many turned to social media to express their worries for Zayn's health and offer him words of support, including encouraging him to "prioritize his mental health."
Zayn's tribute and subsequent return to the stage have sparked discussions among fans regarding the significance of mental health and the prioritization of personal well-being. Many expressed their support for the musician on social media, encouraging him to prioritize his emotional recovery.
“Zayn’s tribute broke me. What a beautiful way to honor Liam’s memory. Love you, Zayn!” a netizen wrote on X. “Seeing the One Direction boys together again, even under such tragic circumstances, is bittersweet," a second X user shared.
“Take all the time you need, Zayn. Your health and peace come first. We’re with you!” a third source stated. “The ‘Love you, bro’ on stage… I have no words. Liam would’ve been so proud," another netizen responded.
“Liam’s passing brought the boys together again. Wishing peace for them all," a fifth X user commented. “This just shows how strong their bond was. RIP Liam. We’ll never forget you," another fan retorted.
Business Times has reached out to Zayn Malik for comments.
