Almost a decade after his dramatic exit from the band, Zayn Malik could finally be ready to sing One Direction songs again.

In an unexpected announcement while on stage during his Stairway to the Sky tour, the 32-year-old singer gave his fans a huge tease.

‘Did you like that one?’ he asked the crowd in Washington D.C. before adding: ‘Maybe I’ll mix it up at some point, maybe a 1D song in there or something.’

The roar from the crowd was deafening, with even Zayn looking slightly overwhelmed by the response.

The Pillowtalk singer quickly added: ‘Don’t get excited, not tonight! Sorry, I didn’t mean to tease you like [that] it’s not tonight.’

Zayn’s exit on March 25, 2015, was the catalyst for the eventual split of the Night Changes hitmakers and fans have been waiting for a reunion ever since.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Zayn Malik performs onstage during the ZAYN: Stairway To The Sky Tour at The Anthem on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Zayn)
Zayn Malik has teased he could perform some One Direction songs (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Zayn)

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM - JANUARY 10: Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson, Harry Styles and Liam Payne of One Direction perform on stage at HMV Hammersmith Apollo on January 10, 2012 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Christie Goodwin/Redferns)
He was the first to leave the band in March 2015 (Picture: Christie Goodwin/Redferns)
He revealed on the Call Her Daddy podcast in 2023 that the band were just ‘sick’ of each other at that point and he decided to get out first.

‘Somewhere in the near, near future…’ he continued after laughing, teasing he could put one of the band’s numerous hit songs into his setlist.

Fans in the crowd and online lost their minds, with thousands of frantic responses to the clip on X.

‘IM SCREAMING RIGHT NOW OMGGGGG,’ Sol said on X as Maria added: ‘IF HE SINGS A 1D SONG I’m done.’

‘No, because if I hear zayn sing a 1d song I will CRUMBLE,’ wrote Mai with MoAyaan simply saying ‘Oh my days.’

Linda Ivey wrote: ‘No way he would say this and not do it. I know he said maybe, but it’s happening. Just a matter if he does it alone.’

Zayn, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne all embarked on solo careers after One Direction parted ways but have not performed together since.


Zayn laughed at the huge roar from the crowd (Picture: TikTok/valeriesmommy)

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE -- "Amy Adams" Episode 1672 -- Pictured: (l-r) Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson and Harry Styles of musical guest One Direction perform on December 20, 2014 -- (Photo by: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)
One Direction officially split in October 2015 (Picture: Dana Edelson/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images)

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 21: (EXCLUSIVE COVERAGE) Zayn Malik performs onstage during the ZAYN: Stairway To The Sky Tour at The Anthem on January 21, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Zayn)
Zayn promised it could be ‘very soon’ (Picture: Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Zayn)
Speculation surrounding a possible reunion has gone into overdrive since the tragic death of Payne last year after he fell from a balcony in Buenos Aires.

An insider said to US Weekly recently that talks had been underway for the group to reunite before the shock loss but had been paused.

Zayn postponed part of his tour when the Payne news broke, with all the former One Direction stars paying tribute in personal and joint statements.

He and Payne, who died aged 31, had a particularly fraught relationship which he addressed in his tribute, writing: ‘Even though we butted heads because of this a few times, I always secretly respected you for it.’

After the funeral, which raised huge funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital, One Direction’s 2013 documentary This Is Us returned to cinemas in a touching tribute.

All ticket proceeds from the one-night-only showing went to mental health charities Mind, SAMH, and Aware NI.