One Direction New Album 2013 RUMORS: Harry Styles Collaborates with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody and Ed Sheeran/Sam McCarthy/Gary Barlow for 'Where We Are,' NOT Solo Music!

No worries, One Direction fans. Harry Styles is NOT ditching his 1D crew in order to pursue a solo music career! In fact, the British crooner's currently collaborating with several other popular musicians in anticipation of One Direction's new album, "Where We Are!" Styles is currently writing songs with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody, Taylor Swift's tour buddy Ed Sheeran, indie rocker Sam McCarthy, and "X Factor" judge Gary Barlow. Now that's an interesting bunch!

Rumors that 19-year-old Styles plans on leaving One Direction to focus on his OWN music career have been swirling online for months... but they're just not true.

Harry Styles 'Don't Let Me Go' SOLO Track LEAKS Online [LISTEN]: One Direction Heartthrob Collaborates with Sam McCarthy, 1D Fans Respond

Harry Styles Solo Album? One Direction Crooner 'Recording Own Songs,' Working with Ed Sheeran, 1D Still 'Top Priority'

In fact, the boys of One Direction enjoy working individually so that they can creatively come together as a group later on. One band "insider" tells The Sun:

"One Direction always work solo with writers and are doing the same for the new album... It saves time, which is so precious for a band under their pressures. The tracks Harry worked on with Gary are 100 per cent for the new One Direction album - and not a solo album."

One Direction just released their follow-up studio album "Take Me Home" in November 2012 - but fans can likely expect even more new 1D music soon! Their third record "Where We Are" is currently scheduled for a winter 2013 release date... and Styles is busy at work with several rockers! There's "The A Team" songster Edd Sheeran, Burning Beaches' singer Sam McCarthy, Take That crooner Gary Barlow, and Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody!

"We wrote with Harry. It was a lot of fun. He's a real dude actually. We've no idea if those songs will make it yet, though," the 37-year-old guitarist explained. "It's a long process. It's great to work with other people - it's good to flex the muscle."

Pretty exciting stuff! Can't wait for the boys to debut their new tunes during 2014's Where We Are Tour!

FYI - the 1D crooners allegedly signed a three-year binding contract to remain loyal to the band -  if any of them breaks the deal, they all stand to lose millions... maybe that's why Styles won't leave!