Zayn Malik delivered an emotional tribute to his late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne during the opening night of his Stairway to the Sky tour in Leeds on November 23, 2024. Payne tragically passed away on October 16 after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires.
Performing for the first time since Liam’s death, Zayn paused his concert to honor his friend. A heartfelt message displayed on a large screen behind him read:
“Liam Payne 1993-2024. Love you bro,” accompanied by a red heart on a blue background.
The moving tribute left the audience visibly emotional, marking a poignant moment in Zayn’s career as he navigates his first solo tour since leaving One Direction in 2015. His setlist also included tracks from his new album, Room Under the Stairs, and some of his earlier hits.
Zayn attended Liam’s funeral alongside former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, marking a rare public reunion of the group. Following Payne’s death, Zayn rescheduled portions of his tour to grieve the loss, calling Liam’s passing a “heartbreaking” event.
