Zayn Malik appears to have taken a swipe at his former One Direction bandmate, Harry Styles.
It has been several years since Zayn Malik was part of the popular group alongside Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles, and the late Liam Payne.
In 2015, Malik left One Direction during their On The Road Again tour, explaining that he wanted to experience life as a regular 22-year-old and pursue his individual path.
While the rest of the band continued making music together, Malik was the first to embark on a solo career, releasing the song PillowTalk in 2016, featuring his then-girlfriend, Gigi Hadid, in the music video.
Since venturing solo, Malik has collaborated with artists like Taylor Swift, Sia, and BlackPink’s Jisoo.
As Malik was carving out his solo career, One Direction disbanded in 2016, with each member pursuing their own musical endeavors.
Harry Styles arguably made the biggest splash in the music industry, beginning with his 2017 hit, Sign of the Times, and continuing to release numerous hits thereafter.
Currently, Styles is gearing up for his July performances at Madison Square Garden, as well as his special ‘Harryween’-themed shows on October 30 and 31.
Fans will have the opportunity to purchase tickets for these themed performances starting February 2 through Live Nation and Ticketmaster.
Tickets for Styles’ other shows are already available for general sale, but this seems to have sparked some tension with Malik.
During a performance at Las Vegas’ Dolby Live, Malik, 33, expressed gratitude to his fans on stage but appeared to make a comment directed at Styles and his ticket prices.
For reference, the cost of tickets for Styles’ 12-night stint at Wembley Stadium in the UK ranged from £44.10 to £466.24 for seated areas, £144.65 to £279.45 for standing tickets, and £468.85 to £725.45 for VIP packages.
In New York, VIP tickets can reach up to $1,667, a detail seemingly noticed by Malik.
During his show, Malik, whose standard ticket prices are $228, with resale prices exceeding $600, remarked on the cost of attending.
He said: “You could have all been anywhere, but you decided to spend your night with me. Hopefully, the ticket prices weren’t too high… just saying.”
This comment has garnered mixed reactions, with some fans expressing disappointment.
One individual commented on X: “being shady towards harry while being a flop solo artist himself is crazy. i don’t even like harry but come on…”
Another added: “He’s a nobody so his ticket prices weren’t high.”
However, some supported Malik’s comment, with one person stating: “Good thing some artist feels for their fans, some don’t care if you pay more than a $1000.”
Online, others have expressed shock at Styles’ ticket prices in the US, with one user questioning: “I fear there must be some miscommunication here. $1,000 per ticket?”
They added: “Taking a breath costs $20 in the economy.”