During his concert in England on November 23rd, Zayn Malik touched the hearts of many by paying tribute to his late One Direction bandmate, Liam Payne. As seen in fan-recorded footage shared on social media, Malik, 31, paused his performance and left the stage as the flashing lights ceased.
Text then appeared on the screen: “Liam Payne 1993-2024,” followed by “Love you bro” and a heart symbol. This concert marked the “Pillowtalk” artist’s first appearance since Payne, 31, tragically passed away on October 16th after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Zayn Malik Touches Fans With Heartfelt Gesture Honoring Liam Payne During His Recent Concert
Shortly after videos and photos of Malik's concert hit social media, fans started sharing their emotions and highlighting how deeply they were moved by Malik's gesture.
"Zayn, what a perfect tribute," one wrote on X (formerly Twitter) as another added: "this is such a bittersweet sight, i bet liam would've appreciated it." Someone else replied: "Zayn’s tribute to Liam just hit different. This is real love and respect." Another added: "Such a lovely tribute! I can’t imagine how he’s feeling right now."
This also comes after the New York Post reported that new videos appear to capture Payne’s last moments, showing the "Strip That Down" artist being carried through the lobby of his hotel. This scene left his mourning girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, in tears, the outlet noted, lamenting the lost chance to prevent his untimely death. As a close friend of Cassidy's told the publication: "Whenever it seems it can’t get more painful for Kate, it gets even more painful."
oh zayn pic.twitter.com/T8kkGdhyb3
— eden (@edeenzz) November 23, 2024
'Painful' CCTV Footage Before Liam Payne's Death Released
The source (who knows the late Payne's 25-year-old influencer girlfriend) added: "He could have been saved, he could have been helped. It’s devastating — and infuriating."
The harrowing security camera video from the CasaSur Palermo Hotel in Buenos Aires captures three men hauling what appears to be an unresponsive Payne by his limbs out of the building's main lobby. The recording is marked 4:54 p.m. on October 16th, just 13 minutes before Payne fell to his death.
The late "Teardrops" singer and Cassidy had been dating for two years until his death. She had departed from Argentina two days prior to his passing. The CCTV footage, as TMZ reported, is part of an extensive collection of over 800 hours of video from in and around the hotel that investigators are scrutinizing as part of Payne’s death investigation.
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Last week, Malik was present at Payne's funeral in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, situated to the northwest of London. He was joined by his former One Direction bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan.
Payne's girlfriend Cassidy and his ex-partner Cheryl were also in attendance. The "Bedroom Floor" singer and X Factor contestant leaves behind his parents, Geoff and Karen, his two sisters, Nicola and Ruth, and his 7-year-old son, Bear, whom he shares with Cheryl, 41, from Girls Aloud.
