In a startling display that has sparked considerable buzz among fans, Zayn Malik recently took aim at his former One Direction bandmate Harry Styles during a live performance in Las Vegas. The Pillowtalk artist, who made the decision to leave the boy band back in March 2015, couldn't resist mocking Harry's ticket sales for his latest tour, prompting a mixed reaction from the audience that included both applause and jeers.
This week has seen an unprecedented rush for tickets to Harry's upcoming Together, Together world tour, with many being snatched up during pre-sales ahead of the general release set for this Friday. However, some fans have expressed their discontent regarding the steep prices, which, for certain packages, soared to over £700. Meanwhile, standard tickets ranged from £44.10 to £466.25, with an added handling fee of £2.95 per order. In a charitable gesture, Harry has pledged that £1 from each ticket sold will go to the LIVE Trust, an organization dedicated to fostering and supporting grassroots music in the UK.
As Zayn continued his ongoing residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM, it was clear that any camaraderie between him and Harry has long since faded. During his concert, he took a moment to engage with the crowd by asking, "Who’s from Vegas? Who’s from elsewhere? I just want to say a big thank you for being here with me tonight... hopefully the ticket prices weren’t too high - just saying, anyway!" His comment elicited gasps from the audience and soon turned into a wave of clapping and jeering.
The reactions didn't stop there. Members of Zayn's band were spotted cheering him on as he continued to entertain the crowd. Clips of the event circulated on social media, with some users branding Zayn’s remarks as a 'low blow,' while others found humor in his shade, commenting, "Oh I love shady Zayn," and another noting, "What a d*** thing to say."
Interestingly, the last time the members of One Direction were publicly seen together was at the funeral of their bandmate Liam Payne last year, marking a significant reunion after years apart. It’s widely known that Zayn faced challenges during his time in the band and has previously discussed his troubled relationships with his fellow members, particularly with Harry. In a candid interview with US Weekly back in 2017, Zayn admitted, "To be honest, I never really spoke to Harry even when I was in the band. So I didn't really expect that much of a relationship with him."
On a more positive note, he did mention that he has maintained contact with Liam, Louis Tomlinson, and Niall Horan, stating, "We're in touch. Everything is on a civil level. It's not the way it used to be, obviously, because we were spending 24 hours a day in the band and now we're growing as individual men, but we still check in." However, Zayn’s perspective on One Direction’s music seemed to differ greatly from that of the others, as he previously remarked, "Would you listen to One Direction, sat at a party with your girl? I wouldn't," to which Harry later responded, "I think it's a shame he felt that way."
After a particularly public disagreement with Louis on social media, which reportedly left Harry upset, Zayn indicated that they had managed to resolve their issues. He remarked to Louis, "Remember when you had a life and stopped making bitchy comments about mine?" Following this exchange, Louis confirmed that they had spoken things through and were on good terms again. During a SiriusXM interview, he stated, "We got back in touch with each other and kind of cleared the air and talked everything through. So we're mates again, I suppose." He also noted that mending friendships can take time but acknowledged the importance of being mature about such matters.
Zayn's recent remarks about Harry come amidst exciting news for the Sign of the Times singer, who is set to perform at this year's BRIT Awards. This announcement coincides with a significant milestone in Harry's career; he is poised to break the record for the most nights performed at Wembley Stadium by any artist, having added two additional dates to his tour. With a total of twelve shows planned, he will surpass Coldplay's previous record of ten nights from last summer. Furthermore, Harry will become the solo artist with the most concerts held at Wembley during a single run, overtaking Taylor Swift's record of eight nights set in 2024.
Originally slated for six nights, the incredible demand for tickets led to the addition of six more shows for the U.K. leg of the tour, which will kick off on June 12 and continue until July 4, promising a series of unforgettable performances for fans worldwide. A spokesperson from Wembley Stadium expressed pride in hosting Harry Styles, anticipating that these twelve nights will be among the most memorable in the venue's extensive history.
