Louis Tomlinson attends Zayn Malik concert in 1st public reunion since Liam Payne funeral
Fans of One Direction were in for a surprise at Zayn Malik’s concert in Los Angeles when the singer announced that his former bandmate Louis Tomlinson was in attendance. The crowd erupted in cheers as Malik pointed out Tomlinson in the balcony, who responded by tapping his heart in gratitude.
This unexpected reunion comes after all four remaining members of One Direction reunited for the first time in years at the funeral of their bandmate Liam Payne, who tragically passed away in October. The emotional gathering saw the bandmates come together along with music mogul Simon Cowell, who helped launch their career on X-Factor UK in 2010.
Fans took to social media to express their joy at seeing Malik and Tomlinson together again, noting that it had been nearly a decade since they were publicly seen in the same room. Malik dedicated the final songs of his performance to Tomlinson and the pair were spotted leaving the venue together, according to reports from fans.
The reunion is particularly significant because Malik and Tomlinson have had a strained relationship since Malik left One Direction in 2015. The two had a public feud on Twitter following Malik’s departure, with Malik criticizing Tomlinson for comments he made about a producer Zayn was working with.
Despite the tensions, there have been signs of reconciliation in recent years. Tomlinson liked one of Malik’s Instagram posts in 2022 and commented on a post about Malik’s child in 2023. Malik has opened up about his reasons for leaving the band, admitting that there were underlying issues within their friendships and that they had simply grown tired of each other.
Malik’s solo career has seen him release four albums, with his current Stairway to the Sky tour in support of his album “Room Under the Stairs” marking his first concert tour. The reunion with Tomlinson at his concert in Los Angeles has brought hope to fans that the former bandmates may be on the path to rebuilding their friendship.