Emma Anderson
Her shimmering guitar work and melancholic songwriting defined the sound of Lush, a cornerstone of the 1990s shoegaze and Britpop movements.
Born 1967 (age 59)·English singer-songwriter and musician·Birthday: June 10·Generation X
Biography
Emma Anderson provided the crystalline, melodic counterpoint to the noisy dreamscape of 1990s alternative rock. As a co-founder of Lush, her intricate guitar lines and wistful vocal harmonies, often shared with Miki Berenyi, created a signature sound that was both ethereal and grounded in sharp pop hooks. The band emerged from the London scene, becoming darlings of the music press and finding success with albums like 'Split' and 'Lovelife,' which saw them adeptly pivot towards a brighter Britpop sound. Anderson's songwriting, concerned with relationships and introspection, gave Lush an emotional depth beyond the genre's texture. After the band's dissolution following the tragic death of their drummer, she stepped away from music for years, later returning with a new project that proved her creative voice remained potent and distinct.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Emma was born in 1967, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Emma Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Emma's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and was a primary songwriter and guitarist for the influential shoegaze/Britpop band Lush.
- Co-wrote hit singles like "Ladykillers" and "Single Girl," which charted in the UK Top 40.
- Her guitar work and songwriting were featured on all four of Lush's studio albums, including the critically acclaimed 'Split.'
- Returned to music after a long hiatus to form and release an album with the band Sing-Sing in the 2000s.
Did You Know?
Before forming Lush, she worked in the A&R department at the record label Rough Trade.
Anderson is an avid fan of cricket and has written about the sport.
The name 'Lush' was chosen from a list of words Anderson had written down because she liked the way it looked.
She designed some of the band's early t-shirts and artwork.
“The melody is a path through the noise, a way to clarity.”
