On January 24th, global pop music star ZAYN headlined Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City, for a great turnout, where he brought his “Stairway to the Sky” tour.
As soon as ZAYN took the stage, his presence was met with a raucous response from his Manhattan fan-base. He was backed by a gifted band, and the set design of his stage with light-adored trees was elaborate, thus creating a pastoral ambience.
ZAYN kicked off his set on harking note with “Woman,” which instantly lured everyone in from the opening verse.
It was followed by the midtempo and atmospheric “Birds on a Cloud” and the sultry “Dreamin,” which has a retro ’90s and early ’00s vibe to it (he nailed the falsetto notes).
There was a pristine quality to “Lied To,” where his voice was simply too good to be mortal. He totally changed the pace with the nonchalant “In the Bag,” and segued into the unapologetic “Ignorance Ain’t Bliss.”
“Scripted” was mellifluous vocal, coupled with a hypnotic chorus.
ZAYN interacted well with the audience throughout the night. “How is everybody doing?” he inquired. “Enjoying the show so far?” he subsequently asked, and everyone’s phones went up as he sang the expressive “Sweat.”
He slowed down the tempo with the stirring “iT’s YoU.” “That was so good, right,” he told the audience following the performance, and the answer was a resounding “yes.”
ZAYN was able to dust off Paolo Nutini’s “Last Request,” twist it, and make his own, and the fans loved it. .
The highlight moment was when he belted out his smash pop hit “PILLOWTALK,” and the response was absolutely massive, as everybody recited the chorus verbatim.
“Shoot at Will” was a stunning acoustic performance, which ought to be enjoyed for its beauty, authenticity, and simplicity.
He slowed down the pace with the liberating and mellow “Concrete Kisses,” which had a neat groove to it.
“What I Am” stands out lyrically, vocally, and sonically; the lyrics in particular are pure poetry. He closed his set with the haunting “Alienated” and on a fitting note with “Gates of Hell,” where he emerged as the pop music equivalent of Chris Stapleton.
As “Stardust” played, ZAYN paid homage to his late friend Liam Payne (and bandmate from One Direction), where the blue-toned screen read as follows: “Liam Payne, 1993 — 2024, Love you bro,” coupled with a heart emoji. Many fans were moved to tears during that moment, and rightfully so.
The Verdict
Overall, ZAYN put on a captivating live show at New York City’s Hammerstein Ballroom. He commanded the stage well, appeared comfortable, and was able to drench the audience in a wide spectrum of raw emotions.
All of the songs he performed were from the heart, and he was able to take us on a moving journey through music. The show was intimate to the point where it felt like he was singing to us in his living room.
At the same time, there was an element of nostalgia in the venue, and it is evident that ZAYN has an old soul.
There has been a growth, maturity, and evolution, to his sound over the years, and it is safe to say that it is going in a bright and positive direction.
Each song in his setlist was diverse, thus having its own identity. The Big Apple crowd was with him at Hammerstein Ballroom every step of the way.
Vocally, with ZAYN, the listener can recall JC Chasez of NSYNC meets Adam Levine of Maroon 5, coupled with the soulfulness of John Mayer.
The control that ZAYN maintained over his rich, rumbling voice for the course of the night was impressive; his voice is smooth as silk. It is highly recommended that one sees him live when he comes to town.
ZAYN’s live show at Hammerstein Ballroom garnered an A rating.
To learn more about ZAYN and his music, follow him on Instagram.
