Roland Orzabal (born Roland Jaime Orzabal de la Quintana; 22 August 1961) is a British musician, singer-songwriter, record producer, and author. He is best known as a co-founder of Tears for Fears, of which he is the main songwriter and joint vocalist. Orzabal has been the only constant member of the band, having appeared on every Tears for Fears studio album. He has also achieved success as a producer of artists such as Oleta Adams. In 2014, Orzabal published his first novel, a romantic comedy.
Orzabal was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire. He was initially raised in nearby Havant. Orzabal's father, George Orzabal de la Quintana, was a Frenchman of Argentinian and Spanish roots and was often so ill that he was rarely seen by his children. Orzabal began writing songs when he was 7 years old. The family later moved to Bath, where he attended Culverhay School (now Bath Community Academy) and became a member of the Zenith Youth Theatre Company.
Orzabal met Curt Smith while both were in their early teens in Bath, Somerset. In the late 1970s, they formed a mod music group, Graduate, along with three other members. Following the release of their debut album, Acting My Age, the group disbanded. Orzabal and Smith briefly joined Neon and then went on to form Tears for Fears, a new wave music/synthpop outfit directly inspired by the writings of the American psychologist Arthur Janov. Orzabal sings and plays guitar for the band, while Smith sings and plays bass guitar. Orzabal is also the band's main songwriter.

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