Zayn performs on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on May 21, 2024. Todd Owyoung/NBC/Getty Images
Zayn Malik is honoring his late friend Liam Payne.
On Friday (Nov. 29), the 31-year-old singer dedicated his song “It’s You” to his former One Direction bandmate during a concert on his Stairway to the Sky tour in Payne’s hometown of Wolverhampton, England. Zayn also took a moment to share a few heartfelt words about Liam, who tragically passed away in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Oct. 16.
“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,” Malik said in a fan-captured video shared on X (formerly Twitter).
The “Pillowtalk” singer had previously paid tribute to Payne during the opening date of his Stairway to the Sky tour at the O2 Academy Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, on Nov. 23. During his set, Zayn displayed the words, “Liam Payne 1993-2024 Love You bro,” on a screen with a red heart while his 2024 song “Stardust” played in the background.
Malik attended Payne’s funeral just days before launching the tour, joining his former 1D bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan in paying their respects to the late singer.
Before his U.K. concerts, Malik postponed the start of his first official solo tour following the news of Payne’s passing.
“Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the STAIRWAY TO THE SKY Tour,” Malik wrote on X. “The dates are being rescheduled for January and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days. Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”
Zayn also paid tribute to Liam with an emotional Instagram post shortly after hearing the tragic news.
“I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” Malik wrote alongside a photo of himself laying in Payne’s lap as the two then-teenagers take a nap. “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and I was loved.”
