WASHINGTON: Singer Zayn Malik paid a tribute to his late friend and former ‘One Direction’ bandmate, Liam Payne, during a stop on his ‘Stairway to the Sky’ tour in Wolverhampton, England which is Payne’s hometown, reported The Hollywood Reporter. Payne passed away on October 16 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at the age of 31.
Before performing his emotional track “iT’s YoU,” Malik addressed the crowd on Friday.
“So, I’ve been doing something at the end of the show every night, and it’s being dedicated to my brother Liam Payne. Rest in peace. I hope you’re seeing this in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton, this is for you Liam,” he said.
Earlier in the week, during his Leeds performance, Malik displayed the words “Liam Payne, 1993-2024. Love you bro,” along with a heart symbol on stage.
Malik also postponed the U.S. leg of his tour following Payne’s death. He shared the news with fans through an Instagram Story where he wrote, “Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the Stairway to the Sky Tour. The dates are being rescheduled for January… Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”
A day after Payne’s death, Malik had shared a post on social media remembering his friend and the ‘One Direction’ bandmate.
“When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile,” Malik wrote. He reflected on Payne’s talent, calling him the “most qualified” member of One Direction, and expressed regret over not having more conversations.
“I lost a brother when you left us and can’t explain to you what I’d give to just give you a hug one last time and say goodbye to you properly.”
Payne, a former member of ‘One Direction’, passed away on October 16 after he fell from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, the ‘One Direction’ member suffered internal and external injuries from the fall, and investigations revealed he was under the influence of narcotics at the time.
The incident led to the arrests of a hotel staff member and an alleged drug dealer, according to local reports from Argentina.(ANI)