Liam Payne wants to write solo songs for his One Direction bandmates.

The 22-year-old singer is planning to step behind the scenes when the group go on hiatus next year, and while he is hope to take his songwriters to other genres of music, he would also be happy to give some tracks to Niall Horan, Harry Styles or Louis Tomlinson.

He said: ''This is what I want to do. I want to target every part of the industry.

''I have written country songs. I started out doing rap songs. That's where my mind is set.

''A lot of people say to me, 'Oh, you'll go solo,' but I haven't thought about that. If the right song comes along and I think I should sing it, then I will release it as a solo artist. Otherwise, I'm happy being behind the scenes.

''When the other boys go solo I would love to write songs for them. I want to make great music that people want to listen to.''

Despite speculation the group will split permanently next year, the 'Live While We're Young' hitmaker insists they will work together again, but he and his bandmates - who were put together on the 2010 series of 'The X Factor' - need some time to ''branch out and explore''.

Speaking to Attitude magazine, he added: ''It's been five years and it's time to take a well-earned break.

''Of course we'll work together again; we're not splitting up. We're just having some time out.

''I realise now is the time to start branching out and exploring.

''This won't last forever and there will be a point when we will break off and do our own things, but it's something that comes back around and we will work together again.''