The Artsy Jumbo | S−Factor’s Nash Simpson proudly remains genre−less

“I’m the kind of person who loves all kinds of music and loves to draw from all the different genres,” said Nash Simpson. “One of the first things you might see on my iPod could be Celine Dion, not just because I like it, but because I love to sing it.”

Simpson, a junior who hails from Brockton, Mass. and studies biology, considers singing a fundamental part of his identity. A proud S−Factor bass, Nash is able to express himself as a self−described musical connoisseur.

S−Factor, also known as Soul Factor, is Tufts’ all−male a cappella group that specializes in music of the African diaspora. The group offers Simpson a perfect expressive outlet, he said.

“I really enjoy being a part of S−Factor because it includes R&B, hip hop, soul and even some contemporary pop,” said Simpson. “I love the music that we sing and I love the way the arrangements are laid out.”

Simpson is no newcomer to music, however. From high school on, Nash sought out any way he could sing. He performed with chamber singers, which he describes as “a very different genre” than what he sings with S−Factor. He also sang in church, as well as with an a cappella group called Epic at Milton Academy.

Still, for Simpson, the people are what make his S−Factor experience.

“Most importantly, I love this group of guys,” he said. “Our shared passion for the music we focus on brings about a strong camaraderie that I don’t see elsewhere.”

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