Zayn Malik Pays Tribute to Liam Payne in Singer’s Hometown: ‘This is for you’

Zayn Malik has once again honored his former One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne, during a show in the late singer’s hometown.

The “Dusk Till Dawn” singer dedicated a song to Payne while rounding up his show, an act that delighted his fans.

Zayn Malik had previously made an appearance at Liam Payne’s burial on November 20 alongside other ex-members of the band.

During a concert on Friday, November 29 in Wolverhampton, England, part of his ongoing Stairway to the Sky tour, Malik honored Payne, who was from the same town.

As the show slowed to an end, Malik took out time to pay homage to the late singer by saying a few words and dedicating his song “It’s You” to him.

In a video that went viral on X from the concert, Malik expressed, “Every night, I’ve been doing something special at the end of the show, dedicated to my brother Liam Payne,” which was met with a loud cheer from the audience.

“Rest in peace. I hope you see this. We’re in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton. This is for you, Liam. Here’s another song, ‘It’s You.,'” Malik added, before going ahead to perform the song.

Online users and fans of the late singer warmly received Malik’s loving gesture towards Payne, with many also expressing their pain over his death.

An X netizen commented, “Zayn is pure soul… love him,” while another commented, “The way he spoke…you know he is still talking out loud to him.”

A third user remarked, “Zayn saying ‘my brother Liam Payne’ followed by ‘Rest in peace,’ is giving me all kinds of feels.”

A fourth penned, “Zayn dedicating It’s You to Liam in his own hometown? It’s gonna be a long night for me.”

Someone else noted, “This must have been really hard for him. I’m so proud. Zayn… I’m sure your brother has been watching you.”

Malik’s tribute wasn’t the first he has done since the demise of Payne. At the first show of the tour at the O2 Academy in Leeds, Malik shared a heartfelt message expressing his pain about Payne’s death on the big screen.

It read, “Liam Payne 1993-2024. Love you, bro,” alongside a red heart emoji. The singer also penned a long statement on his page, in which he thanked Payne for being a friend to him.

“I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life,” Payne wrote. “When I was missing home as a 17-year-old kid, you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know that you were my friend and that I loved.”

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

Last month, Malik informed fans that he was rescheduling the dates for the U.S leg of his tour following Payne’s untimely death.

“Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the Stairway to the Sky Tour,” Malik wrote on his Instagram Stories, per Rolling Stone. “Love you all, and thank you for your understanding.”

The U.S. leg is now scheduled to begin on January 21, 2025, in Washington, DC. Next, Malik will travel to New York City for two shows at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

He will also hit the stage for Los Angeles and Las Vegas shows before rounding off in San Francisco on February 3, 2025.

Payne’s family is reportedly poised to take legal action against anybody who might have had a hand in the singer’s death.

The late singer fell from the balcony of his third-floor room at the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

According to Page Six, lawyers for the Payne family are already in the country and attended a court session on Tuesday.

Court documents obtained showed that they are being represented by music industry veteran lawyer Richard Bray, who is said to have handed over his legal interests to a local law firm in Buenos Aires.

A source who knew Payne’s family shared that they were “100% sure” his parents, Geoff and Karen, and his siblings would want to seek justice for him if there was any foul play.