Zayn Malik Pays Tribute to Liam Payne at First Concert Since Death, Fans Cry

Zayn Malik‘s tribute to Liam Payne left the crowd at his concert a mess … sharing a powerful message to his deceased One Direction bandmate — and, the sobs were audible.

The singer-songwriter took the stage in Leeds, England Saturday … his first show since Liam passed away after falling from his balcony at a hotel in Argentina in mid-October.

While most of the show seems to have been a pretty standard Zayn concert, it ended with a huge blue screen adorned with Liam’s name, year of birth and death, followed by “Love You Bro” and a red heart emoji.

Zayn and his bandmates left the stage as Malik’s song “Stardust” played … a song with lyrics like “Feel like stardust/Floating all around us/Shooting right across a big black sky.”

Clearly, fans saw a double meaning to the words … ’cause they quickly started breaking down — choking out the words through sobs.

It’s a cathartic moment for many fans who grew up on One Direction … crying as a collective about a month after Liam’s death — while authorities in Argentina are still working to uncover all the facts about the pop star’s fall.

As we’ve told you … Liam died after tumbling from his balcony in Argentina — with the austopsy revealing he had several drugs including “pink cocaine” in his system.

Three people — including one employee at the hotel where he died — have been charged in the investigation into his death.

After posting a loving tribute on IG — both individually and in a joint statement with the other members of 1D — Zayn told fans in the U.S. he was postponing the American leg of his tour … pushing dates to January 2025.