[Source: ENews]

Zayn Malik kicked off his first official solo tour in Leeds, England and included a tribute to his late friend Liam Payne, his former One Direction bandmate.

Zayn Malik returned to the stage with a special tribute to his late friend Liam Payne.

The singer performed at the O2 Academy Leeds venue in Leeds in their native England Nov. 23, more than a month after postponing the start of his first official solo tour in wake of his One Direction bandmate’s death.

While Zayn did not verbally mention Liam during the show, he departed the stage to a projection displaying the words, “Liam Payne, 1993-2024, Love you Bro” and a red heart, The Telegraph reported.

After the 33-year-old was found dead Oct. 16 after falling from the balcony of a Bueno Aires hotel room, Zayn had told his fans on Instagram, “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 31-year-old, who has performed sporadically since he left One Direction in 2015, was originally scheduled to begin his tour—in support of his fourth studio album of the same name—Oct. 23 in San Francisco.

Liam died from multiple traumatic injuries and internal and external hemorrhaging, with a toxicology test revealing he had alcohol, cocaine and a prescription antidepressant in his system at the time of his death.

He was laid to rest at a funeral service in England Nov. 20. Zayn joined the other surviving One Direction alumni Harry Styles, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson at the event.

It marked the band members’ first reunion since they performed together alongside Liam during the On The Road Again tour in March 2015, one week before Zayn left the group and five months before the remaining singers announced their indefinite hiatus.

Other funeral attendees included Liam’s parents Geoff Payne and Karen Payne, sisters Ruth Payne Gibbins and Nicola Payne and son Bear, 7, his mom Cheryl Cole— Liam’s ex — the late singer’s girlfriend Kate Cassidy, as well as Simon Cowell— who was a judge on The X Factor along with Cheryl when One Direction was created, and who later signed the band to his record label.

One day after Liam’s death, Zayn, Harry, Niall and Louis shared a joint statement expressing their grief.