Zayn Malik canceled his Friday, March 28, concert in Mexico City after a “severe” bout of food poisoning.
“I’m heartbroken to say that I won’t be able to perform tonight in Mexico City,” Malik, 32, wrote via his Instagram Stories several hours before the doors opened. “I’ve been really sick since this morning and, despite trying everything to push through, my body just isn’t allowing it.”
He added, “I’m so sorry to let you down. The love and energy I always feel from my fans mean the world to me, and it hurts deeply to miss this moment with you. Thank you for your understanding, and please know I’m sending all of my love to each of you.”
Malik offered an update on his health nearly seven hours later.
“Mexico, I love you even though myself and many of my crew got severe food poisoning,” Malik wrote in a follow-up Instagram Story upload. “It’s no joke — [I’m] still struggling.”
The former One Direction singer further apologized to his fans with tickets to the Friday performance.
“To my fans, I’m so sorry — these shows have made me feel alive, happy, grateful and at home, and that’s all because of you,” Malik concluded. “These shows, your energy, your fan projects filled me with so much love and a feeling I can’t even describe. Big love.”
Malik kicked off his Stairway to the Sky Tour in November 2024, his first in several years.
“I don’t want to play a character, you know,” Malik teased of the performances during a May 2024 appearance on SiriusXM’s The Morning Mashup. “I want to be me, and it takes longer and takes more self-reflection and it’s a longer process.”
He added at the time, “So, I think, you know, when people have a deadline and they want to get things out for a business sense, that would make sense, you know, for you to make things that fit different character backdrops or whatever, but for me, I just want it to feel genuine and like it comes from me. It’s always the main intention behind my creation.”
Malik previously had to cancel his December 2024 show at the O2 City Hall Newcastle following vocal issues.
“I’m so sorry to do this, but my voice just isn’t there at all tonight and without it there’s no show. I’m truly sorry to let you down, especially at short notice,” he wrote via social media about the U.K. show. “I held onto hope until the very last moment. I’m hopeful with some rest tonight I’ll be back on stage tomorrow. My deepest apologies Newcastle love you all xx.”