Zayn Malik is pushing back his first-ever headlining tour following the death of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.
On Saturday (Oct. 19), the “Pillowtalk” singer announced on social media that he is delaying the U.S. leg of his Stairway to the Sky Tour, which was scheduled to launch Oct. 23 at San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and wrap Nov. 3 at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom.
“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 X (formerly Twitter). “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 former One Direction singer announced his Stairway to the Sky Tour during The Tonight Show in mid-September. The trek — which will also visit similar-sized venues in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. — marks his first-ever solo outing. According to his website, Malik was still scheduled at press time to play U.K. shows in Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, London, Wolverhampton and Newcastle, beginning in late November through early December.
Zayn will have four solo albums of material to choose from during the tour: his 2016 debut, Mind of Mine, 2018’s Icarus Falls, 2021’s Nobody Is Listening and this year’s Room Under the Stairs.
Malik’s tour postponement arrives three days following the death of his former 1D bandmate and “brother” Payne. Zayn honored Liam in a heartfelt post on Instagram shortly after the tragic news.
“I can’t help but think selfishly that there was so many more conversations for us to have in our lives,” Malik wrote alongside a photo of himself laying in Payne’s lap as the two then-teenagers take a nap. “I never got to thank you for supporting me through some of the most difficult times in my life. When I was missing home as a 17 yr old kid you would always be there with a positive outlook and reassuring smile and let me know you were my friend and I was loved.”
Malik’s statement came in addition to one from Louis Tomlinson and a joint message by the surviving members of One Direction, in which they noted that they are “completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing.” The group statement continued, “In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved dearly. The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever.”
Payne died on Wednesday (Oct. 16) after sustaining multiple traumas and hemorrhages after falling from the third floor of his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a recent preliminary autopsy confirmed. Local authorities believe he was not sober at the time and found substances that appeared to be narcotics and alcoholic drinks in his room after they arrived at the scene.
See Zayn’s tour postponement announcement on X below.