The solo careers for the ex-One Direction boys are in high gear now that Liam Payne has finally joined the club. After nearly a year since One Direction announced their hiatus, Republic Records announced today that Payne will be inking a deal with the prestigious label, joining a roster that includes the likes of The Weeknd and Ariana Grande.
According to a statement from the label, new music from Payne is expected out “soon” in partnership with Capitol UK – Payne’s label in his home country. Over the past couple of months, he’s been teasing his impending solo career via social media posts from the studio, and fans are eagerly waiting to see what new music could possibly sound like.
If he wants his solo venture to work out, it’s in his best interest to head toward a sound that wasn’t already delved into by One Direction. Niall Horan recently released his solo track, “This Town,” and it had a striking resemblance to the Adult Contemporary acoustic route that the boy band had dipped their feet into in the past. In fact, it was even written by the same team who wrote those kinds of songs for One Direction. Granted, the track wasn’t bad, but to maximize the success of each member’s solo career, it makes the most sense to create something never heard before.
Either way, a label announcement hardly means new music is on the horizon: Harry Styles signed a huge contract with Columbia Records back in June, but no music yet. Whether Liam Payne releases new stuff soon or not, the deal with Republic proves that at least they believe in what he can churn out in the future.
