JLS have written 16 tracks for their third album.

The 'Eyes Wide Shut' hitmakers are currently in Los Angeles working on a new record and say initial sessions have proved particularly fruitful.

Band member Jonathan 'JB' Gill said: "It's going really well."

His bandmate Oritse Williams added: "It's off to a good start. We've written around 16 tracks so far."

The group - which also includes Aston Merrygold and Marvin Humes - have previously told of their plans to learn instruments for their new album.

Marvin, 25, said: "We all want to play our own instruments. We want to take the band forward.

"Take That inspired us. We've already decided what we're playing - I'm playing drums and Oritse is on guitar."

Jonathan added: "I used to play the piano and I'm going to take it up again. I feel like I've lost touch with it and I want to be able to play it on stage as well as on future albums."

The band is keen to stay together as a group and have ruled out any of them going solo at this point in their career.

Aston said: "We're new to this game as a group. It feels like we've been here for a little while but we're still new."

JB added: "Before the group we were all doing solo things and that didn't work.

We're strong and unified and that won't change."