Zayn Malik had everyone in tears during his latest concert. On Friday, Nov. 29, the singer performed in Wolverhampton, England, as part of the European leg of his Stairway to the Sky tour. Since the city was Liam Payne‘s hometown, Malik took a moment to open up about his former One Direction bandmate’s passing during his show. While addressing the crowd, the star honored Payne by not only calling him his “brother” but dedicating a song to him on the setlist as well.
Zayn Malik’s Wolverhampton Concert Was An Emotional One
Zayn Malik has been paying tribute to Liam Payne since he kicked off his Stairway to the Sky tour last week on Saturday, Nov. 23. At the end of each concert, Malik would close out his shows with a screen reading, “Liam Payne 1993-2024, Love you bro.” The gesture would instantly make the crowd tear up. Fans who saw the message online also couldn’t help but get emotional.
Considering Malik has been remembering the late singer every night of his tour, fans knew he would do something extra special for his Wolverhampton concert since Payne grew up in the city. They were right. He surprised fans by publicly speaking about Liam Payne’s death for the first time.
In a viral clip shared on X, Zayn Malik could be seen pausing his show to talk to the crowd. “I’ve been doing something at the end of the show every night and it is being dedicated to my brother Liam Payne,” Malik said, to which fans cheered in response. He then addressed Payne directly by saying, “Rest in peace. I hope you see this. We’re in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton. This is for you Liam.”
Following his message, Malik resumed his concert by performing his Mind of Mind track “It’s You,” which he also dedicated to Payne. Watch the moment below.
Of course, the tribute made fans bawl. “OK I’m crying now,” one person said after watching the video. “This is more than I can handle,” another comment read. “I am in tears,” another fan wrote.
Fans called Zayn Malik’s tribute “lovely.” They also praised him for being strong enough to publicly address Liam Payne’s death just weeks after his passing.
The late One Direction star died on Wednesday, Oct. 16, after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was 31 years old.
Payne’s funeral was held almost exactly a month later on Wednesday, Nov. 20. According to BBC, One Direction members Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik were all present for the service.
