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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Entertainment
Nadeem Badshah

Zayn Malik postpones US tour dates after Liam Payne’s ‘heartbreaking’ death

Zayn Malik among pedestrians in a brown bomber jacket
Zayn Malik in New York last month Photograph: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

Zayn Malik has announced that he will reschedule his tour after the “heartbreaking” death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

Payne, 31, died on Wednesday after a fall from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Malik was due to perform in San Francisco on Wednesday before playing several more US dates this month and in November, which will be rescheduled.

The 31-year-old is also scheduled to perform in the UK in Edinburgh, London, Wolverhampton, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester throughout the final two months of this year. A spokesperson for Malik told the PA news agency those dates were unchanged.

Malik, who left the boyband in 2015 before they went on hiatus the following year, wrote on X on Saturday: “Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the US leg of the Stairway to the Sky Tour.

“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.”

Earlier on Saturday, Payne’s sister Ruth Gibbins said she didn’t “feel this world was good enough or kind enough” to him as she paid tribute on social media.

She said her brother’s ability to make her laugh is what she “loved most” about him, adding she was “in awe” of his talent.

Gibbins wrote on Instagram: “My brain is struggling to catch up with what’s happening and I don’t understand where you’ve gone.

“What I love most about you is your ability to make me laugh, I never chuckle as much as I do when I’m with you with anyone else.

“I’m always in awe of your talent, it should be illegal to be so talented and just have the ability to not only be good at things but be bloody great at everything you attempt, without even knowing you’re absolutely smashing it each time.”

Gibbins added: “I don’t feel this world was good enough or kind enough to you, and quite often over the last few years, you’ve had to really try hard to overcome all that was being aimed at you.

“You just wanted to be loved and to make people happy with your music. You never believed you were good enough, I hope you can now see this outpouring of love that you never received in your time.

“Thank you for changing my life, thank you for the incredible memories, thank you for being the best brother and friend I’ll ever have.”

A series of gatherings by fans continued this weekend with crowds attending a gathering at the Keel Wharf Bridge at Royal Albert Dock in Liverpool on Saturday.

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