Zayn Malik postpones Stairway To The Sky tour following Liam Payne's death - and updates fans on tickets
Zayn Malik has postponed the USA leg of his upcoming tour following the death of Liam Payne.
As previously reported, Payne died earlier this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, after falling from the balcony of his third-floor hotel room. Emergency responders pronounced him dead upon arrival due to severe injuries.
Malik, originally from Bradford, had lost touch with his former One Direction bandmate in recent years, but honoured his long-time friend, stating that he “never got to say thank you” to the 31-year-old. Days before his death, Payne had praised Malik for “doing well” after learning about his upcoming tour.
Malik was scheduled to kick off his tour on October 23 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, California, with the last US show planned for November 3 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York. His UK leg is still expected to begin on November 20 at the O2 Academy in Edinburgh and conclude on December 4 at Manchester's O2 Apollo.
However, after news of Payne’s death broke, he has announced that the US part of his Stairway To The Sky Tour would be postponed until next year.
Addressing his 53.9m Instagram followers, the Pillowtalk singer said: “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 new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”
Malik has previously opened up about the anxiety he experienced performing after leaving One Direction in 2015. The band went on an indefinite hiatus the following year, with the boys launching solo careers in the aftermath.
The day after Payne’s death, Malik shared a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. He said: “Liam, I have found myself talking out loud to you, hoping you can hear me. I can't help but think selfishly that there were 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.
“When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you were always there with a positive outlook and a reassuring smile, letting me know I had a friend and was loved. Even though you were younger, you were always more sensible than me, headstrong, opinionated, and unafraid to call people out when they were wrong.
“Though we clashed because of this at times, I always respected you for it. When it came to music, Liam, you were the most qualified in every sense. I was a novice compared to you. I hope wherever you are now, you're at peace and know how loved you are. Love you, bro.”