Former One Direction star to debut on the Strip

If you see a helicopter flying down the Strip on Monday night with a grandiose announcement, here’s the skinny: Zayn is premiering at Dolby Live in January, with seven shows Jan. 20, 21, 24, 25, 30 and 31.

Born Zayn Malik, the English singer-songwriter burst on the international scene in 2010 as a member of One Direction. He has since broken out on his own, issuing his well-received fourth studio album, “Room Under The Stars,” in 2024. His first world tour followed.

Look skyward (duh) for the helicopter event at 6:30 p.m. and again at 7:30. A dusk flight and a dark flight. We deduce that the event is at least somewhat inspired by the album’s title.

The 32-year-old recording star is the first male solo artist to simultaneously hit No. 1 on the U.K. and U.S. album charts with his debut, “Mind of Mine.” The lead single, “Pillowtalk,” hit No. 1 in 68 countries and went five-times platinum. He’s been honored with Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards, MTV Video Music Awards and a pair of Brit Award nominations.

Tickets go on sale at noon Pacific Time Friday at ticketmaster.com.

The ex-One Direction member once put his worldwide fame in perspective, telling Teen Vogue during the height of the band’s fame, “When we were in Sweden, there was a fan that hid in a bin. I think one of the security guards saw and tried to take her out, and she went a bit crazy and started tackling them.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.