Zayn Malik postponed his American tour in the wake of the death of former bandmate Liam Payne, Malik announced on social media Saturday. He wrote in an Instagram story, “Given the heartbreaking loss experienced this week, I’ve made the decision to postpone the U.S. 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,” Malik continued. “Your tickets will remain valid for the new dates. Love you all and thank you for your understanding.”
Payne died Wednesday after falling from his third-story hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Malik and his bandmates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson and Niall Horan released a joint statement following the news.
“We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say,” the group’s surviving members said. “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. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly. We love you Liam.”
Styles also shared his own post on social media. He wrote, “[Liam’s] greatest joy was making other people happy, and it was an honour to be alongside him as he did it. Liam lived wide open, with his heart on his sleeve, he had an energy for life that was infectious. He was warm, supportive, and incredibly loving. The years we spent together will forever remain among the most cherished years of my life. I will miss him always, my lovely friend.”
A preliminary autopsy determined Payne died from “multiple traumas” that caused “internal and external hemorrhage.” The official autopsy report is still pending. Argentina’s National Criminal and Correctional Prosecutor’s Office said Thursday Payne’s death is being treated as suspicious, even though “everything suggests that the musician was alone when the fall occurred and was going through some kind of outbreak due to substance abuse.”
The singer is survived by 7-year-old son Bear, whom he shared with Girls Aloud member and “X Factor” judge Cheryl Cole. He is also survived by his parents, Geoff and Karen Payne, as well as sisters Ruth and Nicola.
