Harry Styles' future is definitely looking bright — that of One Direction, though, a little less so...

Styles has officially signed a solo contract with Columbia Records, which also manages 1D, according to Billboard. Still, there isn't yet a timeline for a solo album.

Styles reportedly published solo songs to database PRS in December 2015 and rumors have been circulating that he'd go solo since early 2013.

The news comes amid a 2016 One Direction hiatus that some fans have predicted could signal the end of the group, who have released five albums — four of which have reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200. Zayn Malik quit the group in March of last year, and did not record on the group's most recent LP, November 2015's Made in the A.M..

Styles' deal is likely good news to fellow musicians who have already endorsed a potential solo Styles project. Meghan Trainor told UK tabloid The Star in February that she "couldn't wait to see" what Styles would produce on his own, and Jay Z insisted to Daily Star Saturday in January that he could make Styles "the biggest artist in the world."

"Harry doesn’t need any help with exposure; everybody in the world knows who he is,” the rapper added. “But he does need to make the transition from being part of a group to becoming an individual artist."

What do you make of Styles' deal? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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