Zayn Malik pays tribute to Liam Payne at first show since former bandmate’s death
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Zayn Malik honored his ex-One Direction bandmate Liam Payne during a show in Leeds on Saturday evening (November 24).
Malik took to the stage again for the first time since Payne passed away last month, showcasing a variety of tracks from his new album, Room Under The Stairs.
After Payne's passing in October, the singer put his US tour on hold, referring to the "devastating loss" of Payne. Malik was supposed to kick off the UK portion of his tour in Edinburgh earlier this week, but he ended up postponing two of his performances in the city due to "unexpected circumstances."
At the conclusion of the performance at the Leeds O2 Academy, the screen behind the stage displayed the message "Love you bro," accompanied by Payne's name and his birth and death dates.
According to a report from the post-mortem examination, Payne passed away at the age of 31 on October 16 due to a combination of injuries and both internal and external bleeding caused by a fall from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Argentina.
Payne was buried on Wednesday, November 20, in a private ceremony with his family and former band members, including Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Malik.
Kate Cassidy, who is dating Payne, was one of the earliest attendees to pay her respects, while Styles showed up alongside his friend, television host and actor James Corden.
A horse-drawn carriage came to a stop in front of the church, transporting a deep blue coffin adorned with white roses. A floral arrangement displayed the words “son” and “daddy,” a tribute from Payne's seven-year-old son, Bear.
Following Payne's passing, Malik expressed that he "never had the chance to thank" his bandmate for being there for him during some of the toughest moments in his life.
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"I lost a brother when you left us, and I can't express what I would do just to hug you one last time, say a proper goodbye, and let you know how much I loved and respected you," he said in a statement posted on Instagram.
"I will hold onto all our moments together in my heart for all time," he expressed. "Nothing can truly capture the depth of my feelings at this moment, except to say that I am utterly heartbroken. I genuinely hope that wherever you are, you are alright and at peace, and that you understand just how loved you are. Love you, my brother."
Payne gained recognition alongside his fellow band members when Simon Cowell assembled them to create One Direction on the ITV talent competition The X Factor in 2010.
Following that, One Direction achieved sales of over 70 million records globally and is now regarded as one of the most significant boybands in the history of music.
Malik exited One Direction in 2015, and the band then took a break in 2016 that has continued indefinitely. Each member went on to chase their individual musical careers. Payne dropped his debut single, “Strip That Down,” which he co-wrote with Ed Sheeran, as part of his first and only solo album, LP1, released in 2019. Recently, he put out his latest single, “Teardrops,” earlier this year.
