DUBAI – British singer Zayn Malik has cancelled his Dubai concert because of what he calls “extreme anxiety”.
In a message to his fans, the singer said he’s been working on how he deals with his nerves but didn’t feel comfortable enough to play live. “I feel I am making progress but I have today acknowledged that I do not feel sufficiently confident to move forward with the planned show,” he writes.
“I am truly sorry to disappoint you. I hope to see you all soon.”
Malik was due to play a one-off gig at the city’s Autism Rocks Arena on 7 October.
Concert organisers have said ticket holders will get a full refund for the cancelled show, the BBC reported.
Zayn also pulled out of the Capital Summertime Ball in June, again blaming his anxiety for cancelling the show.
The 23-year-old has only played a handful of live shows since leaving One Direction, which have mainly consisted of one song on US TV shows.
The announcement comes less than a week after Selena Gomez pulled out of a string of dates, including one in Dubai, because she needs to take some time off to deal with panic attacks, anxiety and depression.
Related: Selena Gomez takes break from music over health issues
She later explained that she “was having too much anxiety” to finish the set.
