Zayn Malik pays tribute to Liam Payne at first show since former bandmate’s death

‘Love you bro,’ read tribute projected on stage at Malik’s concert in Leeds

Zayn Malik paid tribute to his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne at a performance in Leeds on Saturday night (24 November).

Malik returned to the stage for the first time following Payne’s death last month, performing a range of songs from his latest album, Room Under The Stairs.

Following Payne’s death in October, the singer postponed his US tour, after what he called the “heartbreaking loss” of Payne. Malik’s UK leg of the tour was meant to begin in Edinburgh earlier this week. However, he rescheduled two of his shows in the city, citing “unforeseen circumstances”.

When the show ended at Leeds O2 Academy, the screen behind the stage was projected with the message “Love you bro” along with Payne’s name, birth and death dates.

Payne died aged 31 on 16 October of multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage” after falling from the third-floor balcony of his hotel in Argentina, a post-mortem examination report said.

Payne was laid to rest on Wednesday 20 November at a private funeral attended by his family and former bandmates, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Malik.

Kate Cassidy, Payne’s girlfriend, was among the first mourners to arrive, while Styles arrived with his friend, TV presenter and actor James Corden.

Zayn Malik’s tribute to Liam Payne at his show at Leeds O2 Academy (Getty Images for ABA)

A horse-drawn carriage drew to a halt outside the church, carrying a dark blue coffin covered with white roses. A floral tribute read the words “son” and “daddy”, on behalf of Payne’s seven-year-old son, Bear.

In the aftermath of Payne’s death, Malik said he “never got to thank” his fellow bandmate for supporting him through some of the “most difficult” times in his life.

Former One Direction singers arrived at Liam Payne’s funeral on Wednesday (PA/Reuters)

“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”, he added in a statement shared to Instagram.

“I will cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever,” he said. “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.”

Payne rose to fame alongside his bandmates when Simon Cowell put them together to form One Direction on ITV talent show The X Factor in 2010.

Payne rose to fame alongside his One Direction bandmates and became one of the biggest boybands in music history (PA Wire)

From there, One Direction sold more than 70 million records worldwide and today are considered one of the biggest boybands in music history.

Malik left One Direction in 2015 before the group went on indefinite hiatus in 2016, with the members all going on to pursue solo careers. Payne released “Strip That Down” – co-written by Ed Sheeran – from what was his first and only solo album, LP1, released in 2019. His last single, “Teardrops”, was released earlier this year.