Kimaya Diggs Explores Home, Love And Belonging On “Plants (Still Grow)”

Western Massachusetts musician, songwriter, poet and producer Kimaya Diggs captures the warmth of a New England summer on her latest single, “Plants (Still Grow)”. The track is taken from her forthcoming album, Green, which is set for release on 2 October.

“Plants (Still Grow)” is a tender reflection on love, memory and the people who can make somewhere feel like home. Its story unfolds through the small moments that shape a relationship, holding onto the laughter, closeness and shared experiences that will eventually become memories of a particular summer.

The natural surroundings of Diggs’ home also play an important part in the song. Inspired by the greenery and rivers found around the rural side of her town, it connects intimacy with the landscape. Familiar trees, wild plants, fireflies and local wildlife become part of a wider exploration of what belonging really means.

That question runs throughout Green. The album considers whether a sense of home comes from understanding the land or from building a life alongside the right people. On “Plants (Still Grow)”, the two ideas become closely linked. The landscape carries personal memories, while meaningful relationships bring comfort and connection to the place itself.

The song also acknowledges that belonging can be complicated. As a Black and Desi artist living in a mostly white farm town, Diggs explores both the peace she finds in her surroundings and the unease that can exist beneath it. Rather than offering a simple answer, the track finds hope in close relationships, chosen communities and the connections formed between people who have felt like outsiders.

Its accompanying music video, directed by Eli Howe, places the song directly within the New England scenery that inspired it. Much of the video was filmed in Diggs’ backyard, extending the album’s world through the plants, trees and natural life she knows so well.

“Plants (Still Grow)” follows the earlier singles “I Know That I’m Perfect” and “Dance With Me”. Each release introduces a different side of Green. While “I Know That I’m Perfect” channels anger and reclaimed independence, “Dance With Me” celebrates movement, family and the joy of encouraging someone else to join in.

Together, the three tracks begin to show the emotional and musical range of the forthcoming 13-song record. Diggs brings indie pop together with soul, R&B, folk, rock and spoken word, guided by her powerful vocals and detailed approach to storytelling. Although the album moves between genres, its themes of home, personal change and resilience keep everything connected.

Green follows Diggs’ 2023 album Quincy and the 2024 singles “I’m Sad Again” and “Everything Is Not Lost”. Where Quincy was shaped by grief, caregiving and personal loss, the new record begins with questions about belonging, goodness and how a person’s values can be reflected in the way they live.

As the album developed, its focus gradually moved away from trying to avoid pain and towards learning how to survive difficult experiences without losing curiosity, compassion or gratitude. That sense of growth sits at the heart of both the record and its title.

The project also marks an important step forward for Diggs as a producer and vocalist. After undergoing vocal surgery seven years ago, she spent a long period rebuilding her voice. Green is the first album on which she felt able to sing with its fully restored power, while also taking greater control over the recording and production process.

Diggs wanted the album to feel natural, rhythmic and alive. Basic tracks were recorded at Barnfire Creative in Nashville with Dr. Dog drummer Erick Slick and a band assembled with support from bassist Rhees Williams. Jacob Rosazza and Ben Sanders contributed additional production, Scott Hundley handled the mixing, and Diggs engineered around a quarter of the record herself.

Her influences include Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Minnie Riperton, Donny Hathaway, Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Corinne Bailey Rae. Those foundations can be heard in the album’s combination of groove, emotional depth and carefully observed writing.

Raised in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Diggs grew up in a musical household as the oldest of three sisters. Her parents were dancers, while the family home was filled with soul, funk, classical music and show tunes. She played cello, sang alongside her sisters and performed with them at libraries and schools as part of the Knock a Noodlehead Sister Singers.

That early connection between writing, music and performance continues throughout Green. Every song on the album will have its own music video, allowing Diggs to build a complete visual and musical world around the project.

“Plants (Still Grow)” offers one of its clearest glimpses so far. Warm, thoughtful and closely connected to its surroundings, the single treats the landscape as a source of memory, comfort and uncertainty. Above all, it is a love letter to a New England summer and to the people and places that help someone feel less alone.

Kimaya Diggs will celebrate the release of Green with a hometown show at the Academy of Music Theatre in Northampton on 10 October, supported by Alisa Amador. Further tour dates across the Northeast, Southeast and West Coast will continue into early 2027.