Harry Styles Is Going Solo

Prepare yourself, Directioners, because this is going to be big. On Thursday, June 23, Billboard reported that Harry Styles is going solo, having signed a solo record deal with Columbia Records. According to Billboard, no details of the contact have been leaked, and Styles himself has not yet confirmed or denied the report — but considering that One Direction is currently on a "break" and that Styles' former bandmate Zayn Malik went solo earlier this year, it's very likely that a solo career for the star is already in the works. Bustle has reached out for comment from Styles' rep, but hasn't heard back at this time.

If the report is true, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise. In 2015, Styles registered four songs with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, which caused many fans to assume that he was planning a career away from his One Direction bandmates. None of the other 1D members were credited as writers on those songs, implying that these were tunes meant to be part of a solo Styles project. Although none of the music has been released as of yet, their titles — "Already Home," "5378 Miles," "Coco," and "Endlessly" — provided endless intrigue among fans of the singer.

But are those four songs (and any others) going to be released in an upcoming solo Styles album? Only time will tell for sure, but it's definitely looking likely, considering the Billboard report. Styles has long been the fan favorite of One Direction (sorry, guys), and if he chooses to pursue a career of his own away from the group, there's no doubt that he'll have millions of fans behind him to show his support. I'd bet on new Styles solo music before the end of 2016.

That is, if he even has time. Currently, Styles is filming a role in Christopher Nolan's movie Dunkirk , for which he recently cut his famous locks. With an acting career on the rise, will Styles have the ability to begin a solo career and release an album in the coming months? It'll be tricky, but not impossible, so get ready for a late 2016 potentially filled with Styles' newest work.