Zayn Malik leaves fans ‘shaking and crying’ as he dedicates 'Stardust' to Liam Payne in heartfelt tribute

WEST YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND: Zayn Malik opened his 'Stairway to the Sky' tour with a poignant tribute to his late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

During the Saturday, November 23, performance at the O2 Academy Leeds in West Yorkshire, England, Malik concluded the evening with a heartfelt message projected onto the stage.

Zayn Malik pays emotional tribute to Liam Payne at tour’s opening night

The tribute appeared amidst a softly lit, blue-toned stage adorned with illuminated trees. Fans reported that the touching moment was accompanied by Malik’s emotional track 'Stardust', featuring lyrics that now feel especially significant, “Feels like stardust / Falling all around us / Funny how it found us.”

Videos shared online captured fans singing through tears, with many expressing gratitude for the gesture. "You made Zayn happy tonight," one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Thank you for honoring Liam. I am so beyond proud and in tears."

Malik’s tour, produced by AEG and SJM, was delayed following Payne’s tragic death on October 16 in Buenos Aires. Initially set to kick off in San Francisco last month, the tour now includes 11 dates across the UK and US, wrapping up in the UK on December 9 before resuming in the US in early 2025.

Malik wrote in an Instagram Story on October 19, “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 emotional opening comes just days after Payne’s funeral service at St Mary’s Church in Buckinghamshire, where Malik reunited with former bandmates Harry Styles, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson. Other notable attendees included Cheryl Cole, Simon Cowell, and James Corden.

Zayn Malik honors Liam Payne in heartfelt concert tribute that leaves fans in tears

Zayn Malik’s opening night of the 'Stairway to the Sky tour' was a deeply emotional experience as he paid tribute to his late One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

Fans were moved to tears as the tribute unfolded during the final song 'Stardust'. Many took to social media to share their reactions to the tribute.

"Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne at the end of his first concert of the tour while playing ‘Stardust’—I’m shaking and crying,” one fan wrote on X.

Another shared, “This is so wholesome but sad at the same time.”

“This is such a bittersweet sight, I bet Liam would’ve appreciated it,” one person said.

Another remarked, “What a beautiful First show and Zayn was amazing and his vocals omg but then leave this tribute just make me cry all over my prayer are with Zayn tonight as he tour too."

One individual wrote, "Love this so much. I'm not crying, you're crying."

"This hurts so much," another fan observed.

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