{{Promotional|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2015}} {{Infobox writer <!-- For more information see :Template:Infobox Writer/doc. --> | name = Alan Lazar | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | pseudonym = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|December 15, 1967}} | birth_place = Johannesburg, South Africa | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | resting_place = | occupation = Composer and novelist | language = English | nationality = American, South African | ethnicity = | citizenship = | education = University of Southern California | alma_mater = | period = | genre = | subject = | movement = | notableworks = | spouse = | partner = | children = | relatives = | awards = | religion = | signature = | signature_alt = | module = | website = {{URL|alanlazar.com}} | portaldisp = }}

'''Alan Lazar''' (born December 15, 1967) is a South African-born composer and novelist. He has written music for more than 50 films and TV shows, including a string of Netflix movies. He was a member of the South African band Mango Groove, and is the author of the book ''ROAM''. He became a US citizen in 2010.

==Early life and education== Lazar was born on 15 December 1967 in South Africa and studied at Hyde Park High School. He went on to study at Wits University before leaving his home country of South Africa, to move to the United States. Lazar moved to Los Angeles, where he went on to graduate from the USC School of Cinema Television, as a Fulbright scholar.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alan Lazar revealed interview|url=http://authors.simonandschuster.net/Alan-Lazar/80603371/author_revealed|publisher=Simon and Schuster}}</ref>

==Career==

During his years in South Africa, Lazar's early career was as a composer and musician. He joined an Afropop band while still studying in the 1980s, called Mango Groove. He played both the piano and keyboard for the band, which was the one of only two music groups in South Africa to have both white and black musicians. He also composed and produced for the band.<ref>{{cite interview|last = Johnston|first = Claire|interviewer = Galen Schultz|title = Interview with Mango Groove's Claire Johnston|location = Durban|date = March 2010|publisher = The Witness }}</ref>

After releasing their first studio album in the late 1980s, Mango Groove became a household name in South Africa, achieving platinum record sales. In 1992, Lazar performed with Mango Groove at The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert. They performed the track "Special Star" via satellite from Johannesburg, South Africa. The group also performed at the 1994 inauguration of Nelson Mandela.{{citation needed|date=March 2026}}

He also composed the track "African Dream" (performed by Vicky Sampson),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.entertainment-online.co.za/vickysampson.htm |title=Vicky Sampson |website=Entertainment Online |author=<!-- no byline --> |access-date=2017-07-30}}</ref> which was nominated for Song of the Decade in South Africa and was known as "South Africa's unofficial anthem".{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

He played in front of Nelson Mandela at his inauguration in 1994.<ref>{{cite web|title=South African Supergroup Mango Groove OZ/NZ Tour Announced|url=http://www.artnewsportal.com/art-news/south-african-supergroup-mango-groove-oz-nz-tour-announced|publisher=Art News Portal|date=November 15, 2013}}</ref>

Following his career with Mango Groove, Lazar moved to California as a Fulbright scholar, where he became involved in music production for film and television. This began in 1995.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} He wrote music for the final episodes of ''Sex and the City'', and scored ''An American Crime''.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}} Lazar received an award for best score from ''Film Music Magazine'' for ''Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Stecker|first1=Joshua|title=Gangster's Paradise: Jerusalema – Q&A with Writer/Director Ralph Ziman|url=https://www.scriptmag.com/features/gangsters-paradise-jerusalema-qa-with-writerdirector-ralph-ziman|publisher=Script magazine|date=June 11, 2010}}</ref> During the same year, National Geographic's ''Swamp of the Baboons'' was nominated for a production Emmy, with Lazar responsible for all of the music production.<ref>{{cite web|title=Emmy Nomination for Swamp of the Baboons|url=http://www.screenafrica.com/page/news/festivals/652591-Emmy-Nomination-for-Swamp-of-the-Baboons|publisher=Screen Africa|date=July 23, 2010|access-date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095620/http://www.screenafrica.com/page/news/festivals/652591-Emmy-Nomination-for-Swamp-of-the-Baboons|archive-date=September 24, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

From 2010, he scored ''The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills'', and, from 2012, its sister show, ''The Real Housewives of Orange County''.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Composer and novelist, Alan Lazar|url=http://alanlazar.com/about.php|publisher=AlanLazar.com|access-date=August 24, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706224935/http://alanlazar.com/about.php|archive-date=July 6, 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Lazar is also the founder of Lalela Music, a production music library. The catalog has been used in thousands of productions globally and in 2017 was sold to STX Entertainment.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

In 2021, Lazar co-founded the Luminary Scores catalog with BMG Rights Management, producing and composing for the catalog.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

===''ROAM''=== In 2011, Lazar published his first novel, ''ROAM'', published by Atria Books.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

''ROAM'' is about a dog named Nelson, a bright-eyed, inquisitive half-beagle, half-poodle. He loses his owners after following his nose and becoming lost. The story follows Nelson through his years of searching for his owner, Katey, along with the scenarios he faces.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

The book was runner-up for the Los Angeles Book Festival Best Fiction award.{{citation needed|date=August 2015}}

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} * {{Discogs artist|3089665}} * {{IMDb name}}

{{Mango Groove}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazar, Alan}} Category:21st-century American composers Category:1967 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Johannesburg Category:Writers from Johannesburg Category:University of the Witwatersrand alumni Category:USC School of Cinematic Arts alumni Category:Novelists from Los Angeles Category:21st-century American male composers