Zayn Malik left thousands of fans disappointed after pulling out of an album signing at the last minute, Daily Mail reports.
The former One Direction star was forced to cancel the event on Saturday even though some fans had jetted into London from across Europe just to meet him in person.
Organisers blamed ‘unforeseen circumstances’ and excited crowds who had waited patiently for him outside Banquet Records in Kingston-upon-Thames were forced to go home disappointed.
Some fans who had come from as far as Germany were also left heavily out of pocket after shelling out thousands on flights and hotels.
The 31-year-old singer had been supposed to ‘meet and greet’ fans at the record store to sign copies of his highly-anticipated fourth album Room Under The Stairs.
Zayn Malik left thousands of fans disappointed after pulling out of an album signing at the last minute. The former One Direction star was forced to cancel the event on Saturday even though some fans had jetted into London from across Europe just to meet him in person
Organisers blamed ‘unforeseen circumstances’ and excited crowds who had waited patiently for him outside Banquet Records in Kingston-upon-Thames were forced to go home disappointed
One father who took his 14-year-old daughter, said: ‘There were lots of disappointed faces as fans – mainly teen girls – had flocked from across Europe to see him. I’d travelled in from South London so not very far but some of the girls near me had come all the way from Germany’
Banquet Records later rescheduled to the following day and offered those who were unable to make it either a signed album posted to their address or a full-refund.
However, one father who took his 14-year-old daughter, said: ‘There were lots of disappointed faces as fans – mainly teen girls – had flocked from across Europe to see him.
‘I’d travelled in from South London so not very far but some of the girls near me had come all the way from Germany. I don’t think a lot of them were able to make Sunday’s signing session and were absolutely gutted.
‘There were already hundreds of girls milling around the outside of the shop when I turned up with my daughter on Saturday afternoon, the queue was snaking round the corner.
‘There was supposed to be four hour-long signing sessions which started at 2pm and we were in the first.
‘But come 2pm there was no sign of Zayn Malik and it was nearly an hour before we were told that he wasn’t coming due to unforeseen circumstances. Nobody seemed to have a clue what was going on.
‘I was annoyed because I’d paid to travel over` to Kingston-upon-Thames and we’d been waiting in the street for two-hours without knowing what was happening. Some of the fans had been there well before us, they’d got to the store early in the morning such was the excitement.
‘So it was no wonder there was so many disappointed faces when the news was announced.
‘I was too irritated to come back yesterday – my daughter instead opted for just a signed record. Neither of us wanted to go through the hassle again.
‘It’s not on really because some of those on Saturday had spent a fortune to be there and travelled thousands of miles and were given no explanation as to why the event was pulled.’
Other fans vented their frustration on social media. Writing on X one fan said: ‘What a day. So unbelievably gutted that the signing got cancelled today.
‘Really wish that Zayn’s team would give an explanation as to why this has happened and let us know that he’s doing ok. I hope everyone who can make it tomorrow has the best time.’
Another fan fumed: ‘Rescheduling an event on the day with no actual explanation in the middle of a recession is crazy. People do not have money to just spare and “come back tomorrow”.
‘His team just did some serious damage to Zayn’s relationship with his fans at the worse time possible.’
An email from Banquet Records sent to fans apologised for the disappointment.
It read: ‘We’re really sorry to say today’s Zayn signing sessions have been rescheduled to tomorrow, Sunday 19th May, due to unforeseen circumstances.
‘You will have three options. Option One. Attend the rescheduled event on Sunday.
‘Option Two. Do not attend on Sunday, but have your signed album posted to you.
Option Three. Do not attend on Sunday and request a full refund for your order.
‘Thanks for your understanding, and apologies for the very obvious inconvenience and disappointment here.’
A spokesperson for Banquet Records said today they were still unaware of what the ‘unforeseen circumstances’ were but added that most of those who missed out on Saturday turned out yesterday, making Sunday’s album signing the biggest in their history.
Zayn arrived for 10am and cut a casual figure in chunky boots, jeans and a brown suede jacket over a black hoodie in which he had tucked a pair of sunglasses.
He was guided inside by security as female fans lined the streets waiting to meet the Pillowtalk singer.
The album signing followed Zayn Malik bringing fans to tears as he performed his first ever solo gig at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire on Friday night, nine years after leaving One Direction.
Room Under The Stairs his first album since 2021’s Nobody Is Listening, and he said: ‘This is my favourite album that I’ve made to date, mainly because it comes from a place of sheer honesty and vulnerability.
‘I wanted each song to feel as if it was just me sitting beside you telling you how I feel, singing directly to you.
‘It’s raw and stripped back and the type of music I always hoped to make.’