Niall Horan solo
Niall Horan has signed a solo record contract with Capitol Records USA. Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Niall Horan has made his solo debut − just months after One Direction went on an indefinite hiatus. The Irish singer surprised fans on Thursday (28 September) when he unveiled his new single This Town.

In the accompanying black-and-white '1 Mic 1 Take' video − shot at Capitol Studios in Hollywood − the 23-year-old gives a stripped-down acoustic performance, allowing his vocals to speak for themselves.

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He is heard singing the lyrics: "If the whole world was watching I'd still dance with you/ Drive highways and byways to be there with you/ Over and over the only truth/Everything comes back to you."

Judging by reactions so far, the golf enthusiast has excelled. "Weird to see niall horan solo but this is so so beautiful #ThisTown" one fans wrote.

Horan wrote the song with Jamie Scott, Mike Needle and Daniel Bryer, while Greg Kurstin produced it.

The heartthrob said in statement: "I'm excited to announce I have signed a record deal with Capitol Records USA and released my first solo song.

He added: "Thank you to all the One Direction fans for your love and support as always. I'm looking forward to the next part of this journey together."

Horan, who rose to fame alongside Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Zayn Malik, Louis Tomlinson in The X Factor in 2010, has been in the studio with acclaimed songwriter and producer Wayne Hector on his new material.

Back in May Hector, who has written notable hit songs for the likes of Britney Spears, Westlife and Nicki Minaj, described Horan as "really gifted musically" and applauded his guitar skills.

Horan will be hoping to emulate the success of former bandmate Zayn Mailk, who quit One Direction in March 2015. The Bradford-born singer's debut album Mind Of Mine – which features chart-topping single Pillowtalk – shot to number one on the charts around the world when it was released a year later. He subsequently became the first male artist to top the US Billboard 200 chart with a debut album in more than two decades.