You might want to sit down for this — Zayn Malik has announced his first official concert as a solo artist, and Gulf News tabloid! can exclusively reveal it’s going to be in Dubai.
The former One Direction star will perform at the new Autism Rocks Arena on October 7. The date marks a year-and-a-half since he ditched his boy band image and took a chance on himself.
If you’ve been weeping since March 25, 2015 (the day Zayn left 1D), or thanking the heavens since March 25, 2016 (the day Zayn dropped his No 1 debut album Mind of Mine), you’ll finally get a chance to see him in the flesh and hear Pillowtalk, Like I Would, Befour and a dozen other certified bangers live.
Dubai might seem like a random place to start announcing shows, but as is customary with all of Zayn’s decisions lately, it’s a symbolic one. Dubai was one of the first cities that 1D played in as a foursome after Zayn left, and it was the city he was most looking forward to performing in.
“This is basically the first announced public show for Zayn,” said Thomas Ovesen, CEO of 117Live. “Of course there’s an awful lot to come after that, but I think we’ll allow him to announce his plans. We’re just excited that we get to break the news of this first show and the only show in the region with Zayn.”
For fans overseas, Ovesen added that “of course there’s going to be a tour following.”
Zayn, who performed at the annual Wango Tango radio event in Los Angeles over the weekend, is currently rehearsing for the Dubai concert, Ovesen said.
“I haven’t attended the rehearsals. I just know, based on the budget that we are putting aside for the production, that it will be a fantastic show. I myself will probably not get a full idea of the visuals and the set-up until a few months before the show,” he said.
“We’ve been talking to his people solidly, I would say, for at least the last six months about when he would be able to do any live shows. It’s been in the making for quite some time.”
This time last year, Ovesen was recovering from putting on a sold-out One Direction show at Dubai’s Rugby Sevens, which held 33,000 people. It took place two weeks after Zayn left the band. Fans had told Gulf News tabloid! that they were upset they wouldn’t hear his “high notes” live. (Within the band, he was known for his wide vocal range, R’n’B runs and, much like fellow ex-boy bander Justin Timberlake, frequent falsetto.)
READ THE FULL ARTICLE @ THE SOURCE
Tickets: Pre-register for tickets today (Wednesday) at 117live.com. Tickets will go on general sale next week.
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