Zayn Malik 'almost cries' as he sings One Direction song on 10 year anniversary of his band exit

Musician Zayn Malik has been moved "almost to tears" as he performed his first One Direction song in a decade since he left the band.

Zayn, 32, performed the band track Night Changes to mark the ten year anniversary of him stepping back from the X Factor boyband. He opened up his sold out arena gig in Mexico, as he performed the last track he ever recorded with band mates Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Niall Horan and Liam Payne.

After performing the track, he told the audience: "It’s the first time I’ve sung that song in 10 years. Thank you, that was amazing, I almost cried at one point."

The song originally charted in the UK Top 10 but has resurfaced following Laim's detah last year, and re-entered the charts at number six last year. The lyrics to Night Changes include: 'We’re only gettin’ older, baby/ And I’ve been thinkin’ about it lately/Does it ever drive you crazy/Just how fast the night changes?'

Later in the chorus, the band sings: 'But there’s nothin’ to be afraid of/ Even when the night changes/ It will never change me and you.'

The first verse of the song was originally performed by Zayn alongside Liam, with fans going wild as Zayn performed it as his opening track for his solo tour.

Zayn left One Direction in 2015, leaving the boy band as a four piece instead. Concentrating on his solo career instead, he said at the time he wanted to 'relax' and live the life of a normal 22-year-old but has now said since this wasn’t the whole truth.

Speaking out in 2023 as he appeared on the Call Me Daddy podcast, he revealed that the band were just 'sick' of each other and he felt pushed to leave.

Zayn has previously kept his distance from his former bandmates, yet after Liam Payne's shock death last year he's thought to have softened his stance to his X Factor friends. 31-year-old Liam died in October after falling from a hotel balcony in Argentina.

While in Liam’s hometown of Wolverhampton, Zayn paid tribute to his late bandmate, speaking for the first time publicly after his death. He told fans at his show: "I’ve been doing something, at the end of the show, every night, and it’s been dedicated to my brother Liam Payne. Rest in peace."

He added: "I hope you’re seeing this, we’re in your hometown tonight, Wolverhampton, this is for you, Liam."

At the start of the year Liam's cause of death was confirmed as a post-mortem examination determined he died due to "multiple trauma" and "internal and external haemorrhage", as a result of the fall from his hotel balcony. According to the prosecutor's office, medical reports also suggested Payne may have fallen in a state of semi or total unconsciousness.

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