One Direction producer: Hiatus 'wasn't decided just yesterday'

Billboard spoke to One Direction producer Julian Bunetta, the producer/songwriter behind many of the group's biggest hits, who said that One Direction's upcoming fifth album was recorded with the four members knowing it would be their last for a while.

On the uncertainty of the band's future:
"There was a feeling of, 'Well, we're going to take a break, and anything in the world can happen during that time off,'" said Bunetta, "It's the first time of there being some uncertainty, of not having things planned out beforehand, since they were 16 years old. There was definitely a vibe of making [the album] the best it can possibly be, and knowing it has to last as long as it needs to until we make another record — if we make another record."

What to expect from the new album:
"There's a song about losing someone that isn't Zayn," says Bunetta. "There's also a song about the band being on shaky ground and not knowing what the future is. There are songs about love, there's a song that is a little more sexually charged. It's all over the map."

On the mixed felt emotions during recording:
"There was a lot of them not knowing if they were going to take a break or not, because that wasn't decided just yesterday," says Bunetta. "There was definitely some of that going on, [but] it wasn't like every day was depressing in the studio. We were having so much fun when we were making this record — going out, having parties, really enjoying ourselves and not taking any day for granted that we got to spend with each other. When you're faced with some uncertainty, you appreciate the moment more," Bunetta continues. "The moment that you're in becomes really special and sacred. It was definitely one of the most fun album-making processes I've had because of that."