Born and raised in a council flat in West London to a teacher and decorator of English, French, Cameroonian and Indian descent, Anoushka has always had a flair for performing. Accepted on a bursary at the French Lycee, Anoushka excelled in piano, ballet and languages before going on to study at Oxford University and living in Russia for a year.
Influenced by the sounds and writing of Carole King, Kate Tempest, Zadie Smith, Amy Winehouse and Billie Holiday, she has been described as a "rich, natural talent" (Neil Cowley), "a classic voice" (Jamie Cullum) and "one of the most talented songwriters of her generation" (the 606).
Lucas’ international upbringing has stood her in great stead, heavily influencing her composing and songwriting. Unashamedly autobiographical, she manages to combine an unflinching honesty in her music with a sensitive warmth, touching on themes of love, sex and loss that we can all relate too. Humorous anecdotes pepper her performances as she uses her experience in theatre to give the audience a show that has delighted sold out audiences in Bush Hall, Pizza Express Dean Street, the 606 and Love Supreme Festival to name but a few.
As a composer and actor, Anoushka most recently collaborated with playwright Jessica Butcher to create the original musical Sparks, which won Best Musical at Edinburgh Festival 2018. In the past, she has collaborated with Omar Lyefook MBE to write the score for The Ballad of Klook and Vinette, a play with songs by Che Walker, which premiered at The Park Theatre, London in 2014 starring the Olivier-award winning Sheila Atim as the eponymous Vinette. Anoushka also collaborated with Sheila Atim and Jazz Fm Nominee Nikki Yeoh to write an original score for Che Walker's The Etienne Sisters, which premiered at Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2015. As an actor, Anoushka won the role of Mary Magdalene in the Olivier- Award winning Jesus Christ Superstar at Regent’s Park Open Air and will be very briefly seen in the upcoming Netflix Musical Been So Long.