Coda Chroma is the evocative musical project of award-winning songwriter Kate Lucas, based in Ballarat, Victoria. Known for her poetic abstraction and immersive soundscapes, Kate creates music that sways between cinematic folk and baroque pop, blending intricate harmonies with emotionally resonant storytelling to craft a world that feels both intimate and expansive.
Described as "Hawaiian music with black lipstick on", Coda Chroma draws inspiration from artists like Big Thief, Madison Cunningham, and Elliott Smith, fusing delicate guitar work with layered, melancholic lyrics and subtle pop sensibilities. PBS Music Director Firas Massouh captures her essence: "The interplay between the complexity and the simplicity in songwriter Kate Lucas’s storytelling makes her one of the most innovative and noteworthy musicians in Australia today."
Collaborating closely with New Zealand producer Damien Charles, Kate incorporates elements of jazz, psychedelia, and cinematic folk into her work, reflecting regional landscapes and a profound connection to nature. Her 2024 album Luminous As It Is, inspired by Mary Oliver’s poetry, explores themes of nature, transience, and emotion. Rated among the Top 5 albums of 2024 on Melbourne’s 3RRR FM, the record has been praised as "absolutely brilliant" (Jason Crane, WCNR FM, Virginia) and features standout single "Forest", accompanied by a lo-fi 16mm music video by filmmaker Ursula Woods.
Kate has performed alongside acclaimed acts including Augie March, The Whitlams, Angie Hart, Shane Howard, and William Crighton, and is described as a "musician’s songwriter"- her previous release Dreamself (2023) was nominated for the Australian Music Prize, cementing Coda Chroma’s reputation for literary depth and sonic innovation.
"Like the spiral on a shell or tendrils on a feather, Coda Chroma's songs are so perfectly formed and so deeply rooted in nature that all you can do is let the beauty of them wash over you." – Kate Kingsmill, 3RRR FM
"A prolific songwriter that gets it beautifully right every time. I am a deep fan." – Angie Hart, Frente
"So real and candid; a maker of mesmeric dream-stuff." – David Astle, ABC Melbourne
