ZAYN Malik has announced his first ever headline solo concert after years of crippling anxiety.

The Pillowtalk singer will perform at the 2,000-capacity Shepherd’s Bush Empire in London on May 17 – which is the same day his fourth album Room Under The Stairs is released.

Zayn Malik has announced his first show in yearsCredit: Getty

The former One Direction singer sent fans into meltdownCredit: Getty

He’s set to perform in London for the first time in eight years

He is releasing a new documentary titled The Road Back To The Mic
Zayn’s announcement about his upcoming performance and documentary left fans ecstatic and eager for more. Responses flooded in, with fans expressing their excitement and joy. Some were moved to tears, while others celebrated the news with enthusiasm, echoing sentiments like “Zayn is back!”

For those eager to attend the event, tickets will be exclusively available through his official album pre-sale link, adding an element of exclusivity to the experience.

The shock U-turn comes eight years after he pulled out of a headline slot at Capital’s Summertime Ball minutes before he was due on stage.

He had played a short set at Wango Tango festival in California earlier in 2016 and also sang on The Voice USA, but has not done any shows since.

In a post on Instagram after failing to take to the stage at Wembley Stadium for the Capital gig, he said: “Unfortunately, my anxiety that has haunted me throughout the last few months around live performances has gotten the better of me.

“With the magnitude of the event, I have suffered the worst anxiety of my career. I cannot apologise enough.

“I promise I will do my best to make this up to everybody I’ve let down today.”

In just two weeks, Harry Styles will take the stage for his first full-length concert in the UK in a decade. The last time he graced British soil with a solo performance was during One Direction’s Where We Are tour, which saw him entertaining massive crowds in stadiums across the nation.

Back in 2017, Styles opened up about managing his anxiety, emphasizing the importance of honesty and clear communication. He shared that addressing his discomfort openly and ensuring everyone involved understood his boundaries helped ease his anxiety. By being straightforward about his feelings and preferences, Styles found a way to navigate the pressures of performing and maintain his mental well-being.

Zayn shared a poster for the event

Zayn Malik Addresses “Negativity” With Hadid Family in First Interview in 6 Years

The former One Direction member gave a rare interview and addressed his past dispute with ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid’s mom, Yolanda Hadid.

FROM PRESLEY ANN/GETTY IMAGES.

For Zayn Malik, there’s more than one direction—in the sense of both his life and the boy band he so famously quit in 2015.

In his recent interview on the podcast Call Her Daddy, Zayn Malik delved into various aspects of his life, including his experiences living among the Pennsylvania Amish and his affinity for raising chickens (despite a reluctance to name them due to past trauma). However, the conversation also touched upon a more serious and controversial topic: his legal troubles in 2021 involving his ex-girlfriend Gigi Hadid and her mother, Yolanda Hadid.

The incident, which occurred following a conflict, resulted in Malik pleading no contest to four counts of harassment against the Hadid duo. Allegations included Malik reportedly using derogatory language towards Yolanda and physically shoving her. The incident strained his relationship with Gigi, with whom he shares a daughter named Khai, born in September 2020.

Host Alex Cooper addressed the issue towards the end of the interview, noting Malik’s initial statement and subsequent silence on the matter.

“I just kind of keep to myself,” he said of his limited public comments.

“I knew what the situation was. I knew what happened, and the people involved knew what happened too,” he said. “And that’s all I really cared about. If anybody of a same mind would look at the situation, I believe that you could respect that I just didn’t want to bring attention to anything. I just wasn’t trying to get into a negative back-and-forth with her, any sort of narrative online where my daughter was going to look back and read that and be able to read into it, and it would just be something that—there was no point.”

He called his reaction “amicable [and] respectful.” He continued: “That’s all that needs to be said, you know? I feel like it’s a lot of negativity.”

Malik and Gigi split custody of their daughter 50-50, though he said he is “hands-on with my child every chance I can be. If I could get 60%, I would have it.”

Things are going fine with Gigi, he said: “Coparenting is good. We have a really good relationship for Khai.”

He also discussed his anxiety, citing it as a huge driver behind his break from the spotlight in recent years. Having a young child watching him, however, has caused him to confront these blocks. “I feel like I’ve had to step up as a man, or just as a person, and be this example to her that doesn’t succumb to these feelings,” he said. “That’s why I’m even doing this interview.”

Malik was, of course, also the driving force behind One Direction’s breakup—the classic “at least a year off” that turned into…probably forever. In 2015, Malik announced he was leaving the band, though he says now that the writing was on the wall.

“I think I’d known for a minute,” he said of quitting the band. “Look, I don’t want to go into too much detail, but there was a lot of politics going on. Certain people were doing certain things; certain people didn’t want to sign contracts. So I knew something was happening, so I just got ahead of the curve. If I’m being honest with you, I was like, I’m just going to get out of here. I think this is done.”

And, of course, there was the whole solo-album thing: “I completely selfishly wanted to be the first person to go and make my own record.”

Plus, the band members were…pretty over one another.

“There was obviously underlying issues, like within our friendships too,” he said. “We’d been together every day for five years, and we’d got sick of each other.”

In a departure from his past persona as “the brooding, serious one,” a label he attributes to marketing tactics during his time in One Direction, Zayn Malik now describes himself as “a chill, funny, loving guy.” He emphasizes a shift in his mindset, aiming for a more positive and lighthearted approach.

Malik is currently working on a new album and assures fans that they will see more of him in the future. He hints at a personal transformation, indicating a “full mental rehaul” that has positively impacted his outlook and creative endeavors.