One Direction members to take a hiatus to focus on solo careers: report

One of the world's most popular bands is taking a break.

The members of One Direction have mutually decided to go on a hiatus of at least a year so they can each focus on solo projects, reports British tabloid The Sun.

The hit-making group, which currently consists of Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson, made the music scene-altering decision during a group meeting in London last weekend, according to the newspaper.

 

 They reportedly will not launch a tour for their upcoming fifth album, which is set to hit the shelves this holiday season.

Despite the professional parting, the adored artists leave the band on good terms and plan to reunite in the future, a source told The Sun.

"There is absolutely no bad blood between them and they are all 100% behind the decision," the insider told the British tabloid. "It is definitely not a split and they fully intend to get back together at some time in the future."

This news comes just five months after Zayn Malik left the band to embark on a solo career. The remaining quartet continued writing music and performing as a group even after Malik's departure, but Payne hinted a few weeks ago that a break could be imminent.

"I think everyone needs a little bit of a break now, and a sit down and a stop, to kind of take in all the great things that've happened," he said in an interview with free radio.

One Direction enters the hiatus at peak popularity. Last year, they became the first group to have each of their first four albums debut at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart.