Kat Harlton
Lead Photo: Provided via artist
Nicole Huff continues her creative momentum with the release of an expanded version of ‘Who We Are [Deluxe]‘ available on Spotify and all major music streaming platforms this February 20th. The deluxe album is produced by Roy Hamilton III, the acclaimed hitmaker whose credits include Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Justin Timberlake, and N’SYNC, and marks a defining moment in Nicole’s music career.
This new album was inspired by a period of personal and artistic self-reflection, during which Nicole felt compelled to revisit her original EP and expand it to more fully reflect who she is now, not just as an artist, but as a person.
Who We Are [Deluxe] builds on the foundation of Nicole’s debut EP with three additional original tracks including Who We Are II, Obsession, and Drive, each further exploring themes of self-discovery, emotional tension, and momentum. Together, the expanded tracklist offers a fuller portrait of an artist continuing to define her voice and perspective.
Long before stepping into music in this way, Nicole Huff had already built a career rooted in performance and storytelling across film, television, theatre, and dance. She is widely recognized for her work on screen, with standout roles including Olivia Kaplan in Netflix’s hit feature film Luckiest Girl Alive starring Mila Kunis, Paige Aquino in Netflix’s Tiny Pretty Things, and Gloria Chin on CTV’s iconic series Degrassi. Nicole has built an impressive body of work across acting, music, theatre, dance, and voice-over, all grounded in a deep commitment to craft.
I had the opportunity to chat with Nicole about her new expanded version, self reflection and what’s next.
Kat: You first introduced Who We Are as a deeply personal EP. What inspired you to revisit it and expand it into ‘Who We Are [Deluxe]’ at this moment in your life?
Nicole: Who We Are was always meant to capture a moment of self-reflection for me. It was about learning to trust myself and my instincts. After releasing the EP, I realized there were still parts of that journey I hadn’t fully expressed. The deluxe version felt like the natural continuation of that story. I’ve grown a lot emotionally and creatively since the original release, and these new songs reflect that next chapter. It’s the messy, passionate, sometimes confusing parts of figuring out who you are and trusting who you are going to become.
Kat: The deluxe edition adds three new tracks, ‘Who We Are II’ ‘Obsession’ and ‘Drive’. How do these songs deepen or challenge the themes you originally explored?
Nicole: The original EP focused a lot on the emotional side of self-empowerment and independence. Who We Are II is almost like an upbeat continuation of the original title track. “Obsession” explores the intensity of having someone be obsessed with you to the point where you’re scared to sleep at night. “Drive” explores chemistry, energy and connection. Together, they add layers to the story the EP was already telling.
Kat: This project was born from a period of self-reflection. What did you discover about yourself personally and artistically while creating this expanded version?
Nicole: I discovered that vulnerability is actually one of the most powerful creative tools you can have. As an artist, it’s easy to want everything to feel polished or perfect. But the songs that resonated the most with me were the ones where I allowed myself to be honest and wasn’t afraid to really feel the songs I was singing when I was recording in the studio. I also learned to be more comfortable with the idea that identity isn’t fixed. It’s constantly evolving.
Kat: You’ve worked with acclaimed producer Roy Hamilton III on this release. What did he bring to the project that helped shape this defining chapter in your music career?
Nicole: Roy brought an incredible sense of musicality. He really understands how to build a sound that supports the story of a song you write or sing. Working with him allowed me to explore a bigger, more cinematic pop sound while still keeping the emotion at the center and while staying true to the music I wanted to make. He pushed me to trust my voice, explore adding character to my sound and make sure I demo.
Kat: Many fans still know you as Gloria Chin from Degrassi. How does stepping fully into music allow you to express parts of yourself that acting doesn’t?
Nicole: Acting allows you to step into someone else’s world, which I love. But music feels different as it’s entirely your own voice. When I’m making music, I’m not playing a character. I’m sharing my own experiences, ideas, emotions, and thoughts. It’s a much more personal form of storytelling, and it’s been incredibly freeing for me as an artist. I do love both acting and music equally.
Kat: You’ve built a career across acting, dance, theatre, and now music. How do those disciplines influence your songwriting and performance style?
Nicole: All of those disciplines shaped how I approach storytelling. Dance taught me how to express emotion physically, theatre taught me how to connect with an audience, and acting taught me how to understand a character’s emotional journey. When I’m writing or performing music, all of those influences come together. I think about the emotion of a moment the same way I would when building a character for a role.
Kat: Having appeared in projects like ‘Luckiest Girl Alive’ and ‘Tiny Pretty Things’, storytelling is clearly central to your work. How does storytelling differ for you when it’s told through music instead of a character on screen?
Nicole: When you’re acting, you’re interpreting someone else’s story through a character and given a script with someone else’s writing. With music, you’re telling your own story directly or writing about any ideas you have. In a way, it can feel more intimate because it’s your own voice. Although acting is about playing a character, I bring out parts of myself to play that character and that can also be more intimate in that way. A song can capture a feeling in three minutes that might take an entire film to explore. I love how immediate and emotional that can be. They’re both incredible in my opinion. It’s neat to see the arc of interesting characters and watch people act and react.
Kat: The title ‘Who We Are’ suggests identity as something evolving rather than fixed. How has your definition of “who you are” changed since the original EP?
Nicole: I first wrote the EP, I think I was searching for a clear definition of who I was. Now I realize that identity isn’t something you arrive at once. It keeps evolving as you grow and experience new things. Who We Are became less about finding the answer and more about embracing that process of becoming. To me, Who We Are is relevant no matter what you are in your life.
Kat: Emotional tension and momentum are strong threads in this release. Was there a particular song on the deluxe album that felt especially vulnerable or transformative to record?
Nicole: “Obsession” and “Come to You” were definitely the most vulnerable to record. “Obsession” explores the intensity of emotion that can come with love and attraction and how powerful and overwhelming that feeling can be. It’s interesting because “Obsession” wasn’t written by me yet it was incredibly vulnerable to record. Recording it felt like letting people see a very raw emotional side of me, but those are often the songs that end up connecting the most with listeners. Come to You was about my mom and that was incredibly personal, special and emotional for me as I thought about her throughout the whole process of making the song. I wanted to make sure she would like the song so I worked with a professional violin player, cello player and piano player.
Kat: With ‘Who We Are [Deluxe]’ having just released, what do you hope listeners walk away feeling after hearing the full expanded project from start to finish?
Nicole: I hope listeners feel empowered to embrace who they are and the experiences that shaped them. That even includes the messy or uncertain parts. The project is really about self-acceptance and growth. If someone listens to the extended EP and feels a little more confident in their individuality or a little less afraid to be themselves, then I feel like I’ve done my job.
Connect With Nicole: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesamanthahuff