Tears for Fears’ Roland Orzabal Opens Up About How Hardship Shaped the Band’s Music: “We’re Not Great at the Happy-Go-Lucky Stuff”
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Orzabal said that trying to write music in Los Angeles, surrounded by endless sunny skies, actually made it harder for him to create songs.
Tears for Fears frontman Roland Orzabal believes some of the group’s most powerful music was born out of difficult times.
The 64-year-old musician discussed his career, personal experiences and new memoir, Welcome to Your Life: Love, Death & Tears for Fears, in an interview with Vulture published Wednesday, Aug. 19. The book is now available.
Orzabal and longtime friend Curt Smith formed Tears for Fears in Bath, England, in 1981. The band reached major international success with their 1985 album Songs from the Big Chair. The record produced several massive hits, including “Shout,” “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Head over Heels.” The album topped the U.S. charts and cemented the duo as major figures in the new wave era.
According to Orzabal, he and Smith always wanted their music to explore more serious and emotional territory rather than simply functioning as straightforward pop.
During the interview, Orzabal was asked about his observation in the memoir that Tears for Fears seemed to create their strongest work during periods of hardship—and why happier periods did not produce the same results.
He explained that suffering can push artists toward greater emotional depth, describing the creative process as an exploration of the deepest parts of the soul.
Orzabal pointed to the band’s 2004 album Everybody Loves a Happy Ending as an example. The record was made in Los Angeles, where the band was enjoying themselves and surrounded by consistently sunny weather. Although they had a good time making it, Orzabal felt something was missing because there was no sense of struggle.
He contrasted Los Angeles’ bright atmosphere with the darker winters of England, saying that those harsher surroundings had previously encouraged him to confront deeper emotions and ideas. In his view, that emotional intensity helped create songs that listeners could connect with on a deeper level.
“We’re not very good at the happy-go-lucky stuff, unfortunately,” Orzabal admitted.
Despite Tears for Fears’ success, Orzabal said he has never been particularly concerned with the idea of being a major pop celebrity. For him, making a living and continuing to create music matter more than fame.
He also said he has come to appreciate being an older artist because age has given him a different perspective on life. Questions he did not fully consider when he was younger now occupy more of his thoughts, allowing him to reflect more deeply on his experiences.
Orzabal added that difficult experiences can also help people realize they are not alone. He sees music as a way of connecting with listeners who may be going through similar struggles, offering reassurance that their emotions are shared by others.
Orzabal and Smith eventually separated professionally in the early 1990s. During that period, Orzabal continued releasing music under the Tears for Fears name, including the albums Elemental in 1993 and Raoul and the Kings of Spain in 1995. The two musicians eventually repaired their relationship and reunited in the 2000s.