For some people, being a student-athlete is enough to fill their plate, but as the COVID-19 pandemic exploded in 2020, Brock “Brody” LaPorte decided to expand his musical side. LaPorte had always been interested in music, having played the guitar throughout his life. However, when the pandemic prevented him from playing on Villanova’s men’s lacrosse team, and classes were offered online, he realized he had more free time to explore music. 

With his free time, LaPorte learned how to play piano and figured out how to remix songs. Additionally, he learned how to add his own music on top of other songs and mash them with other songs. 

LaPorte graduated from the Villanova School of Business in 2022 after studying finance and real estate. Because he had an extra year of NCAA lacrosse eligibility, due to COVID-19, he chose to continue playing lacrosse while doing the Business Analytics online graduate program at Villanova. It was then when LaPorte also realized his passion for music was more than just a hobby. 

LaPorte began releasing mixes on SoundCloud, and he gained more traction. His music has expanded to original songs, and three of them are now released on Spotify. His most recent, “lost in you,” is a collaboration with Thomas Newton, a senior mechanical engineer at Villanova. LaPorte and Newton connected via TikTok, creating a song with the goal of a summer feel. They began working on it from the end of 2022 into early 2023, and after workshopping it, it was released on March 24th.

“The chords are really happy, the melody is really happy,” LaPorte said. “It’s windows down, smile on your face kind of music.” 

Newton was excited to collaborate with LaPorte on the song. One of LaPorte’s ideas was to have Newton perform a guitar solo during the song, which he loved. 

“It was great to work with Brody on the song,” Newton said. “He’s got a great ear for music and definitely is starting to find his sound as a producer. I’m usually very meticulous with my songs, and every lyric or note has to be there for a reason. He was very open to the feedback I gave him, and we really experimented with a lot of different ideas.” 

However, LaPorte also understands the importance of having a well-paying job before putting in all his time and effort into music. This is why he chose to further his education at Villanova and pursue a corporate job post-graduation. 

“I’m a big believer in doing something that makes you fulfilled and happy,” LaPorte explained, “But I also want a good financial backing.” 

Following his graduation this May, LaPorte will be moving to New York with a full-time job, but plans to continue with music on the side. He wants to have a good work-life balance and make time for his music with a goal of eventually pursuing it full-time. 

LaPorte has advice for any aspiring musicians, or anyone who is interested in something out of their comfort zone.

“At the end of the day, if you’re really interested in something, just dive deep into it,” LaPorte said. “Don’t be afraid to be bad at the start. Everyone’s bad at the start. Even Elton John was bad at playing the piano at first.” 

LaPorte has many songs released on Spotify and SoundCloud, with more to come. He can be found on Spotify as “Brock,” on Instagram @brockmusic__ and on TikTok @brockmusic.