THE STORY: A Clean Break

Most musicians discover their passion at an early age. But Toronto's Marc Robillard has taken a different path before releasing his debut album. Unlike other recording artists, music wasn't always his first obsession. Sometimes life can take a different course.

To explain how, we need to turn back the clock …

From the age of three, Marc Robillard's instruments of choice were a pair of skates and a curved stick. His sights were set on becoming a pro hockey player. As a teen, he moved from city to city to play competitively. His skills quickly caught the eye of OHL scouts. At age sixteen, he was the first choice draft pick from Atlantic Canada. The newly-signed rookie found himself playing shoulder-to-shoulder with some of today's top NHL players. Looking to the future, making it to the NHL was only a matter of time.

But it didn't happen that way. His hockey career ended suddenly after breaking his collar bone during a game. Unable to continue as a pro-athlete, with his future uncertain, he found work at a local café in Halifax to make ends meet. Infected by the buzz of the thriving music scene, Robillard transformed his passion for hockey into a new obsession: making music.

Soon after, he started a record label in Halifax producing and promoting independent bands. Two years later, he realized he wanted to be on the other side of the glass. With this realization, he moved to Toronto and started to work on the songs which would become his debut album. To earn money on the side, Robillard began writing soundtracks for TV commercials and movies. Ironically, his music aired anonymously on national television during Hockey Night in Canada.

In his spare time, he continued work on his album. Using his savings, he bought a second hand piano, bringing, renewed inspiration to his basement apartment. His efforts grew into a collection of highly personal songs that journal his search for a passion, a true love of something, and overcoming the overwhelming. In collaboration with producer Annelise Noronha, Marc Robillard's debut EP, Paper Airplanes unfolded.

Sometimes a clean break is all you need.