Zayn Malik has postponed his tour following the death of Liam Payne
On Saturday (October 19), the 31-year-old took to social media to share that his first-ever upcoming headlining tour — the Stairway to the Sky Tour — will not be happening due to the sudden passing of his former bandmate.
“I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the STAIRWAY TO THE SKY Tour. 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,” the post read.
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 and I’ll post them as soon as it’s all set in the next few days. Your tickets will remain valid for the…
— zayn (@zaynmalik) October 19, 2024
Hitting eleven cities across the United States and the U.K., the “intimate” run was supposed to kick off this Wednesday (October 23) in San Francisco, CA, making stops in Las Vegas, LA, and D.C. before wrapping the North American leg on November 2 in NYC. The trek was then supposed to make its way across the pond on November 20 in Edinburgh, with stops in Manchester, London and more before concluding on December 3 in Newcastle, UK. According to a press release, Zayn was set to play in intimate sized venues to highlight the raw and stripped sound of his critically acclaimed 4th studio album ROOM UNDER THE STAIRS, released earlier this year on May 17 via Mercury Records.
Liam Payne died on Wednesday (October 16) after falling from a third-floor balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires, and preliminary autopsy findings reported by the Daily Mirror newspaper found the result was consistent with his 10-meter fall. It has also been reported that “multiple traumas” caused “internal and external bleeding,” sources say.
Police described “total disorder” in the room, with various things broken. They earlier said they had been called to reports of an “aggressive man who could be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Buenos Aires emergency services chief Alberto Crescenti told The Sun: “Our role was to head there quickly, give medical attention, and try to resuscitate him, but his injuries were incompatible with life. Based on what the team saw, there was apparently a cranial fracture and extremely serious injuries that led to his immediate death.”
TMZ originally reported witnesses stated Liam had been “acting erratic” in the lobby of the hotel with the outlet publishing statements suggesting the singer had smashed his laptop and had to be taken back to his room.
Malik was one of the many who paid tribute to his former bandmate on Instagram with a touching post.
“Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me, I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives. I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” he began.
“When I was missing home as a 17 year old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and that I was loved. Even though you were younger than me you were always more sensible than me, you were headstrong, opinionated and gave no f**** about telling people when they were wrong. Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it,” he continued.
“When it came to the music Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I knew nothing in comparison, I was a novice child with no experience and you were already a professional. I was always happy to know, no matter what happened on stage we could always rely on you to know which way to steer the ship next. (sic).”
Zayn also wishes he could say a proper goodbye to his former bandmate following his shock death at the age of just 31.
“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 and tell you that I loved and respected you dearly. I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever, there is no words that justify or explain how I feel right now other than beyond devastated. I hope that wherever you are right now you are good and are at peace and you know how loved you are. Love you bro. (sic).”
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Malik shot to fame alongside Liam when they were in One Direction alongside other band members Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson in the 2010s after being put together by Simon Cowell on The X Factor UK. The 31-year-old left the band in 2015 to pursue solo music with 1D going on an indefinite hiatus the following year.
