Zayn Malik has always been very open about his battles with stage anxiety. Especially after leaving One Direction, he has often stayed away from live performances and even canceled various events abruptly for his mental health. Before Liam Payne’s passing, Malik promised to face his fears and announced a new tour. However, those plans were thrown off course when news of Payne's passing broke. Even so, just over a month after the tragic event, Malik kicked off his tour in Leeds. And he made sure to pay tribute to his late bandmate along the way.

Zayn Malik kicked off his Stairway to the Sky Tour on Saturday night at the O2 Academy Leeds in England. After the show, he left a blue screen behind as he exited the stage, which read, "Liam Payne 1993-2024 Love you bro," with a pink heart. For over a decade, Malik and Payne's bond grew alongside One Direction's rise to fame as one of the greatest English boy bands. Just a few months into the band’s journey, Malik openly spoke about his growing friendship with Payne. 

When asked on X, “Who are you closest to in the band?” Malik directly responded with “Liam Payne”.  Their bond was also obvious to fans, both on and off stage, as they often had each other’s backs during interviews, performances, world tours, and public appearances. However, after Malik departed from the band, there arose some evident tension between the two. Nonetheless, 31-year-old's heartfelt tribute to Payne left every long-time One Direction fan deeply moved.

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Fans took to X to share their grief over Liam Payne’s passing and their thoughts on Zayn Malik’s touching tribute.

As soon as Zayn Malik’s final words for Liam Payne appeared on the screens at the Leeds concert, fans were overcome with emotion. Videos that surfaced from the moment showed fans weeping and sobbing, yet still trying to sing through their tears as Malik's song 'Stardust' played in the background. The reactions on social media were just as emotional. “I can’t stop crying,” one fan wrote. 

Fans also praised the tour, recognizing how much courage it must have taken for Malik to overcome his fears and make it all happen.

Zayn Malik recently attended Liam Payne’s funeral with his fellow One Direction members. Right after the band released a joint statement, Malik also shared a personal tribute to Payne where he admitted that they sometimes “butted heads”. Despite the ups and downs they went through, it is clear that a deep love and respect always existed between them- something Malik will carry with him for the rest of his life.

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What do you think about Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!