The British singer was singing more One Direction songs than usual during his show in Washington D.C.

zayn funeral reunion dc Justin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

British artist Zayn Malik has fueled rumors of a possible One Direction reunion, likely in honor of his late bandmate Liam Payne, during his first U.S. concerts after Payne’s passing.

 

At the opening of his ‘Stairway to the Sky’ tour in Washington, D.C., the singer-songwriter surprised fans by hinting at performing some of the songs that made him a global icon.

“Did you like that?” the 32-year-old artist asked the crowd, which responded with thunderous applause. He added, “Maybe I’ll mix it up at some point—maybe a 1D song or something?”

The audience’s reaction was so intense that Malik quickly tempered expectations. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you. It’s not tonight,” he clarified.

Could a One Direction reunion be in the works?

Coming from Malik, these words were unexpected. The One Direction fandom, or “Directioners,” as they call themselves, has been abuzz with speculation about the four surviving members reuniting.

The rumor suggests that Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Malik may share the stage for the first time since March 2015 to pay tribute to Liam Payne, who passed away on October 16, 2024, after falling from the third floor of a hotel in Buenos Aires.

Notably, Malik has refused to perform One Direction songs since becoming the first member to leave the band, which eventually led to their nearly decade-long hiatus.

The former bandmates reunited at Liam’s funeral in November in England, reportedly taking measures to avoid being photographed together.

niall harry liam funeralJustin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images louis liam funeralJustin Tallis/AFP via Getty Images

Rumors have suggested a possible reunion at the Brit Awards, scheduled for March 1, 2025. However, nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

Since Liam’s death, Malik has been the only member of the group maintaining a constant public presence. Styles has been spotted by paparazzi in Germany and Italy, while Tomlinson was photographed with fans on Christmas Eve but outside of that, the rest of One Direction has been keeping a low profile.