ZAYN kicked off his solo Stairway to the Sky Tour in Leeds, England on Saturday (November 23) and surprised the crowd with a tribute to his late friend and former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne who passed away in October.
Video footage obtained by concertgoer "Ahmeeka" on TikTok shows ZAYN's "Stardust" playing on speakers throughout the O2 Academy as a tribute to Payne flashed on the screen behind the stage. The touching message read: "Liam Payne. 1993-2024. Love You Bro ❤️."
Leeds was not initially slated to be the tour opener as Malik postponed the U.S. leg of his tour in October following the "Teardrops" singer's tragic death, and pushed back a few UK shows earlier this month, per Page Six. The "Pillowtalk" hitmaker reunited with former bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan under tragic circumstances at Payne's funeral on Wednesday (November 19).
Payne was found dead at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Brazil on October 16th after falling from a third-story balcony, resulting in fatal injuries. The "Strip That Down" star was just 31 years old when he passed away and is survived by his 7-year-old son, Bear, sisters Nicola and Ruth, parents Geoff and Karen.
ZAYN's next show will take place in Manchester, UK, on Sunday (November 24).
Watch the "Love Like This" hitmaker pay tribute to Payne at his Stairway to the Sky Tour opener below.