Disclaimer: We’re looking forward to seeing the results of their reported solo project intentions: Niall’s music career, Liam’s DJ-ing and Louis’ planned stint on The X Factor. It’s just that we do have a favourite and, yes, it’s Harry.
Harry Styles is to finally be free of One Direction and everything that comes with it so he can release his own music. The band will be splitting around next year – not to break up for good, though, but just to be on ‘at least a year long’ hiatus, so they can cool off from the incessant touring they’ve done for the past five years and focus on solo projects.
A source told The Sun, very diplomatically, that, ‘[One Direction] fully deserve to have at least a year to work on their own projects. There is absolutely no bad blood between them and they are all 100% behind the decision. It is definitely not a split and they fully intend to get back together at some time in the future. But, for now, it is the end, and they go out on top as the world’s most popular music act.’
And while Harry could be continuing in music, the only real thing getting in the way of him being snapped up as a solo artist by Syco (Simon Cowell’s label, the people who run One Direction right now), is the possibility that he’ll take up offers to go into acting.
The source added, ‘Sony definitely want to secure a solo record from Harry. He has been building up to this moment for a long time and there is also a lot of interest in him from Hollywood. But they’re all going to be successful in their own right. They have the best contacts and a massive fanbase.’
After five and a bit years together, the boys will finish their last tour in Sheffield on 31 October of this year. They’ll then release an album – their second this year – around Christmas time. Then, after a few promotional commitments (they’ll definitely get a Piers Morgan life story if that tearful series even still exists), they’ll go on to do whatever they want to do.
Directioners are pretty upset right now, as any cursory glance at the #OneDirection hashtag on Twitter will tell you. But there are consolations – all of the boys will be seeking to branch out into their own projects and the likelihood of them getting back together is pretty high – even if it’s just a money-spinner if any of said projects go down the pan.
And while odds of any of them making like JLS’s JB and going into farming (he mainly breeds and sells turkeys now) are pretty slim (what are the odds of not one, but two boybanders going into farming?!), hopefully none of them are going to go as much off the boil as Zayn Malik.
Commiserations to all supporters of One Direction feeling sad today, and congratulations to whoever signs Harry next...
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.