Zayn Malik postpones his US tour after the death of Liam Payne

Zayn Malik has postponed the US leg of his upcoming tour following the “heartbreaking loss” of his former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne.

Payne died at the age of 31, after falling from the third floor of a hotel balcony Argentina on Wednesday.

Malik was set to begin the American leg of his tour next week, starting with a show in San Francisco on Wednesday.

However, the singer told his fans that he would be postponing the shows, saying: “Due to the heartbreaking loss I have experienced this week, I have made the decision to postpone the US leg of the Stairway to the Sky Tour.”

The US leg of Malik’s tour was also scheduled to visit Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., ending in New York on November 3.

He told fans on X that the dates will be rescheduled for January and tickets will still be valid for the new dates.

“I love you all and thank you for your understanding,” he added.

The 31-year-old did not name the 11 dates for the UK leg of his tour, which is expected to run from November 20 to December 4.

Malik on Thursday paid tribute to Payne, saying he will “cherish all the memories I have with you in my heart forever.”

“I lost a brother when you left us and I can’t explain to you what I’m going to do for you. Just hug you one last time and say goodbye properly and tell you that I love and respect you very much,” he said. .

Payne and Malik rose to global fame as part of boy band One Direction – created on The X Factor TV show in 2010 – and performed with bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan.

Malek left the band in 2015 to begin his solo singing career, and the band later split in 2016.

The cancellation of Malek’s shows in the United States comes as Payne’s sister, Ruth Gibbins, earlier on Saturday described her brother as her “best friend” in an emotional tone. Instagram shareIn which she said the family would “take care” of his son, Bear.

“My mind is struggling to catch up with what’s happening, and I don’t understand where I’ve gone,” she said.

“I will drive to the end of the universe to bring you back.”

Meanwhile, in Argentina, Payne’s father, Jeff Payne, was seen on Friday greeting his son outside the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires.

Crowds of photographers followed him during his visit to the hotel, prompting fans to shout at the press and attempt to block the entrance to the building to prevent them from entering.

Jeff Payne also visited the morgue in Buenos Aires to formally identify his son. A federal prosecutor previously told the BBC that his body had been “released”, meaning no further testing and identification would be carried out.

In an Instagram post on Friday, Girls Aloud singer Cheryl, who was in a relationship with Payne from 2016 to 2018 and has a son named Bear Him, said she was disturbed by the access to “hateful reporting and media exploitation” and that she could not protect him from him in the future. .

“Liam was not just a pop star and celebrity, he was a son, brother, uncle, dear friend and father to our 7-year-old son,” she said. “A son who now has to face the reality of never seeing his father again.”

“I implore you to consider what good some of these reports will do, other than causing further harm to all those left behind to pick up the pieces.”

Since Payne’s death, fans in the UK have been gathering for vigils.

Saturday afternoon Fans gathered in Liverpool In memory of Payne, candles will be lit and flowers placed on the city’s waterfront. A protest was also held In his hometown of Wolverhampton Friday.