One Direction's Liam Payne just signed a solo deal

If One Direction's hiatus didn't seem real before, it sure does now.

Liam Payne became the first member after Zayn Malik to officially announce he's going solo, sharing news of a new record deal with Capitol.

"One direction will always be my home and family but I'm very excited to see what this chapter brings," he wrote on Twitter.

2016 has been good to Payne, the singer confirming that he's dating Cheryl Fernandez-Versini.

Payne opted for a public reveal of his new career move, but Harry Styles, the ex-1D member many expected to go solo first, is keeping his latest music moves closer to the chest.

Rumors buzzed earlier this summer that Styles had signed with Columbia, but the singer has yet to announce any details to fans.

Meanwhile, their other bandmates are staying busy, with Niall Horan making headlines with a new girlfriend (er...girlfriend?), and Louis Tomlinson enjoying fatherhood and, most recently, appearing on America's Got Talent.

Will Payne's new music stick to 1D's pop roots, or go the way of Zayn's shadowy, hypersexed R&B? Stay tuned for a first single soon.