Zayn Malik

As a solo artist following his exit from One Direction, Zayn Malik found himself entirely unable to take the stage for major scheduled performances, including a highly anticipated headline slot at London's Capital Summertime Ball in 2016.

Malik chose complete transparency over an engineered PR excuse, releasing a statement directly to ticket holders explaining that his anxiety had completely won the battle that night.

Addressing his sudden concert cancellation, Malik explained: "The anxiety that has haunted me throughout the last three months around live performances has gotten the better of me... I know those who suffer anxiety will understand."