Entertainment
Zayn Malik Honors Liam Payne with Emotional Tribute During Leeds Concert
Zayn Malik paid a heartfelt tribute to his late former One Direction bandmate Liam Payne during a performance at the O2 Academy Leeds on Saturday night. At the end of his show, Malik held up a sign that read, “Love you bro,” accompanied by Payne’s name and birth and death years. The message, shared widely on social media, concluded with a pink heart.
The tribute followed an emotionally charged month for Malik, whose tour has faced delays in the wake of Payne’s passing. The Leeds concert saw Malik perform hits such as Pillowtalk and My Woman. Fans had speculated that Malik would address Payne’s loss during the show, and his poignant gesture left the audience moved.
Payne tragically died at age 31 last month after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina. His funeral took place on Wednesday in Amersham, Buckinghamshire, attended by family, friends, and all four of his former bandmates—Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan, and Zayn Malik. Payne’s girlfriend, Kate Cassidy, and his former partner Cheryl, with whom he shares a son, were also present.
Malik has postponed several tour dates, both in the UK and the US, citing the “heartbreaking loss” of Payne. Two Edinburgh shows, originally scheduled for 20 and 21 November, have been moved to 8 and 9 December, respectively. Malik assured fans that all tickets for the original dates would remain valid.
Similarly, Malik delayed the US leg of his Stairway to the Sky Tour, which had been set to begin in San Francisco, followed by stops in Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York. Rescheduled US dates are planned for January, with tickets remaining valid.
“Love you all and thank you for your understanding,” Malik shared with fans on social media.
Entertainment
BTS Triumph at American Music Awards as Black Eyed Peas Reunite
BTS dominated the American Music Awards, taking home some of the night’s biggest honours as Black Eyed Peas reunited during the ceremony.
The K-pop superstars secured the event’s top award, further cementing their global success following their return from a nearly four-year hiatus earlier this year and a world tour reportedly worth around $1bn.
BTS also won song of the summer for their single Swim and were named best male K-pop artist.
Their label partners Katseye picked up the new artist of the year award.
Meanwhile, Golden — the breakout track from the animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters — was named song of the year.
Sabrina Carpenter enjoyed a successful evening after winning album of the year for Man’s Best Friend. She also claimed awards for best female pop artist and best pop album.
Justin Bieber was named best male pop artist.
BTS beat a strong field in the top artist category, including Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga.
The group also overcame competition from artists such as Harry Styles, Tame Impala and PinkPantheress in the song category.
Despite entering the awards with eight nominations, Taylor Swift — the artist with the most AMA wins in history — left the ceremony without an award.
Entertainment
Madonna, Shakira and BTS to Headline Historic World Cup Final Half-Time Show
Global music stars Madonna, Shakira and BTS are set to headline the first-ever half-time show at a FIFA World Cup final this summer.
The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, will conclude with the final in MetLife Stadium on 19 July.
The performance is expected to last around 11 minutes, despite speculation the show could extend beyond the standard 15-minute half-time interval allowed under the laws of football.
The introduction of a Super Bowl-style performance marks a major shift for FIFA, with elaborate pre-match entertainment already common at events such as the UEFA Champions League Final.
Last summer’s FIFA Club World Cup final in the US between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain featured a half-time show lasting more than 24 minutes.
Shakira’s involvement comes shortly after the announcement of her official World Cup anthem Dai Dai, which also features Nigerian music star Burna Boy.
The Colombian singer previously delivered one of football’s most iconic tournament songs with Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Meanwhile, Madonna — often referred to as the “Queen of Pop” — is preparing to release her 15th studio album, Confessions II, on 3 July.
The 67-year-old recently made a surprise appearance during Sabrina Carpenter’s set at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, where the pair performed Vogue and Like a Prayer together.
BTS, regarded as the best-selling music act in South Korean history with more than 45 million albums sold, are also preparing for a major comeback after a three-year hiatus during which members completed mandatory military service.
The group previously collaborated with Coldplay on the hit single My Universe.
The half-time show is being curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and will support the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100m for children around the world.
Gianni Infantino previously described the event as “a historic moment for the FIFA World Cup, befitting the biggest sporting event in the world.”
Entertainment
Coroner Says Investigation Into Liam Payne’s Death Still Awaiting Evidence From Argentina
A coroner overseeing the inquest into the death of former One Direction singer Liam Payne has said authorities in the UK are still waiting for additional evidence from Argentina as investigations there continue.
During a pre-inquest review hearing held at Beaconsfield Coroner’s Court on Thursday, senior coroner Crispin Butler said there had been no significant updates since a previous hearing in January 2025.
“We have had no further disclosure of evidence from Argentina via the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office,” Butler told the court.
Payne, who was 31, died in October 2024 after falling from a balcony at the Casa Sur Hotel in Buenos Aires.
A post-mortem examination found the singer died from multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage” after falling from the hotel’s third-floor balcony.
The coroner said documentation already received from Argentina had undergone translation and confirmed that relevant material would be shared with Payne’s family, who were not present at the hearing.
Butler added that his understanding was that investigations by authorities in Argentina were still ongoing.
In February last year, an Argentine court dropped criminal negligence charges against three of the five people initially charged in connection with Payne’s death.
Payne rose to global fame as a member of One Direction before launching a successful solo career following the band’s hiatus. He released his debut solo album, LP1, in December 2019.
The inquest proceedings in the UK have now been adjourned until a further pre-inquest review scheduled for 1 December.
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