Q with Tom Power
CBC
300 episodes
Five days a week, Tom Power brings you candid conversations with the artists shaping our culture. Whether he’s chatting with A-listers or rising stars, his disarming warmth and meticulous research always gets below the surface, bringing us deeper into the art and lives of today's most compelling musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers.
More about the show
As a Canadian institution, Q has attracted the biggest names in the world. But it's never been about the fame. It's always been about the art.
Since becoming the host of Q in October 2016, listeners have come to know Tom for his in-depth interviewing style (asking founding Wu-Tang Clan member RZA what was inside his teenage notebooks), his mischievous sense of humour (jokingly chiding actor Catherine O'Hara for her parenting skills in Home Alone), and his genuine enthusiasm and fearlessness (singing a duet with Mavis Staples).
You’re just as likely to hear from celebrities and cultural icons as you are to hear from emerging artists at the beginning of their career. Tom gives each and every artist the space to tell their story in their own words. He also has a track record for interviewing artists on the precipice of stardom, like Lizzo, Billie Eilish and Daniel Caesar, who appeared on Q well before they hit the mainstream.
On Q, we cover arts and culture in all its forms, including music, movies, film, TV, comedy, painting, photography, theatre, cinema, Broadway, fashion, dance, opera, documentaries, books, fiction and memoirs.
Look to our archives to hear some of Tom’s award-winning artist interviews, including his moving and insightful conversation with the Canadian actor Michael J. Fox, which was awarded the prestigious gold medal for best interview at the 2021 New York Festivals Radio Awards.
In 2022, Tom spoke with Friends star Matthew Perry in front of a live audience. Their warm and frank conversation about the actor's struggles with substance abuse struck a chord, leading to millions views on TikTok and Instagram, while also being picked up by news outlets internationally, including Vanity Fair and CNN.
Tom’s impactful discussions with top talent have included Adele, Bono, Chappell Roan, Pamela Anderson, Cate Blanchett, Dua Lipa, Cher, Denzel Washington, Mick Jagger, Florence Pugh, Francis Ford Coppola, Kristen Stewart, Emma Stone, Jim Carrey, Billy Porter, Tom Hanks, Jerry Seinfeld, Tyler Perry, Alicia Keys, Alan Moore, Bruce Springsteen, Dolly Parton, Barbra Streisand, Darren Aronofsky, Harry Styles, Simu Liu, Sean Penn, Sandra Bullock, Michaela Coel, Ryan Reynolds, Katy Perry, Neil Young, Shakira, George Clooney, Ava DuVernay, Omar Apollo, Trixie Mattel, Orville Peck, Big Sean, Anil Kapoor, Jane Fonda, Robert DeNiro, Antonio Banderas, Elton John, Celine Dion, Kerry Washington, Chuck D, Steven Soderbergh, Mikey Madison, Cillian Murphy, Sean Baker, Steve McQueen, Paris Hilton, Taylor Tomlinson, Gwen Stefani, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kylie Minogue, Stanley Tucci, Rufus Wainwright, Caroline Polachek,…
Episodes page 3 of 6
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Naomi Sharon on being the first woman signed to Drake’s OVO Sound
Rotterdam-born Naomi Sharon is part of a generation of European female artists attempting to break through to global audiences. She’s also the first female artist signed to Drake's OVO Sound, blending neo soul with an…
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Megan Park wants TV to take Gen Z seriously
Megan Park (Sterling Point, My Old Ass, The Fallout) is a Canadian writer and director who got her start in front of the camera, starring in teen dramas like Life with Derek and The Secret Life of the American…
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New Music: Kiwi Jr.
The indie rock band Kiwi Jr. has been rocking, rolling and riffing for more than a decade. In Q’s recurring New Music segment, lead singer Jeremy Gaudet joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about their latest single,…
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Candi Staton is finally getting her flowers
Candi Staton has been a gospel prodigy, a Southern soul powerhouse and a disco icon. Now in her 80s, she’s back in the spotlight with her Grammy-nominated album Back to My Roots, which marks her return to the gospel…
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Why this artist chose to highlight Arab designers at the Met Gala
Samar Hejazi is a Palestinian Canadian artist whose multidisciplinary work spans sculpture, textiles and printmaking, challenging traditional perceptions of reality. After spending years in Toronto, she now lives and…
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Melissa Auf der Maur on Hole’s chaos — and its genius
In her new memoir, Even the Good Girls Will Cry, Montreal-born musician Melissa Auf der Maur pulls back the curtain on the alternative rock and grunge scene of the ’90s. Earlier this year, she joined Tom Power to talk…
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Les Louanges found a better version of himself as a caregiver
Les Louanges (a.k.a. Vincent Roberge) is one of the defining francophone artists of his generation in Québec, and yet he’s almost entirely unknown to anglophone Canada. He’s got two Juno Awards for francophone album of…
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How Stevie Wonder helped Glenn Lewis feel closer to his father
Grammy-nominated neo soul singer Glenn Lewis is considered one of the forefathers of R&B in Canada. Born in Kitchener and raised in Toronto, he broke through in the early 2000s with his debut album, World Outside My…
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Vijay Gupta: Playing Beethoven on Skid Row
From an early age, violinist Vijay Gupta seemed destined for classical music greatness. He performed at Carnegie Hall at just eight years old, studied at Juilliard and Yale, and joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic at…
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DerRic Starlight wants to get the first Indigenous puppet on Sesame Street
DerRic Starlight is best known for his puppetry, taking his “Nuppets” (Native puppets) across Canada, mostly to Indigenous communities. But about a decade ago, he set his puppets aside to embark on a different kind of…
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Maddy Kelly’s dream job? Hosting the Oscars while pregnant
Maddy Kelly is a Canadian-born stand-up comedian, writer, actor and producer based in New York City. Named a “Rising Star” by Toronto’s Future of Film Showcase, she’s built a successful career performing in comedy…
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Dawoud Bey turns his lens toward landscapes that hold Black history
If you don’t know Dawoud Bey’s name, chances are you’ve seen his work. One of the most influential photographers working today, Dawoud rose to prominence through his powerful portraits of Black Americans and young…
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Little House on the Prairie reboot doesn’t skip over Indigenous history
When Meegwun Fairbrother first got wind of Netflix’s Little House on the Prairie reboot, the Ojibwe Scottish actor initially wasn’t hopeful. In his experience, historical dramas didn’t have room for mixed-heritage…
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A fake David Lee Roth changed her life
Canadian actor, writer and musician Rebecca Auerbach has turned her acclaimed one-woman show into a new CBC podcast called Discount Dave (and the Fix). Based on a true-ish story, it starts with a chance encounter with…
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Reneltta Arluk on the artist as nomad
Reneltta Arluk grew up on a trapline in the Northwest Territories, living off the land with her grandmother and the legendary Arctic dog team guide Archie Larocque. Those nomadic early years shaped a career that took…
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What does Alzheimer's look like? This cartoonist drew from her experience
When Sarah Leavitt’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she began documenting everything she could through drawings and writing. Those records became Tangles, her acclaimed 2010 graphic memoir, which was…
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Common shares the advice that changed his life
Common is an award-winning rapper, actor and activist known for his socially conscious lyrics and roles in films like Selma and the TV show Silo. Common joins Tom Power to talk about season three of Silo, growing up in…
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New Music: sundayclub
Winnipeg’s sundayclub introduces their song, Blue Wave, in Q’s recurring New Music segment. Their self-titled debut album is out now.
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Constance Wu says her confidence is hard-earned
Constance Wu stars in a new sci-fi thriller, The Outer Threat, filmed right here in Canada. Constance is most recognizable for her role in Crazy Rich Asians, which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She’s also the…
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New Music: Moira & Claire
Halifax-based duo Moira & Claire introduce their song, no hesitation, in Q’s recurring New Music segment. Their new album, it’s all a mess!, is out now.
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Getting to Know Q: D.W. Waterson
What’s in the perfect party lunch? What movie was bad enough to make you walk out of a theatre? And would you DJ your own afterparty? Filmmaker D.W. Waterson answers these very important questions — and more — in a…
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Some run away and join the circus. Carisa Hendrix built her own
Carisa Hendrix a magician, comedian, fire eater, and the creative force behind the character Lucy Darling, a glamorous socialite who’s become an internet sensation. Guest host Gill Deacon speaks with the multi-talented…
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Remembering Oliver Jones, a Canadian jazz legend
Oliver Jones died this week at the age of 91. In 2024, Tom Power visited the Canadian jazz legend at his home in Montreal to talk about his legacy in Canadian music, his relationship with his hero and role model Oscar…
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Acting like a maniac never gets old for Weird Al
Weird Al Yankovic is a pop culture icon known around the world for his parodies of mega-hits by artists like Madonna, Taylor Swift, and Michael Jackson. His most memorable hits include Amish Paradise, Eat It, and the…
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Why this director tapped into feminine energy for his new film
For his latest film, Canadian director Clement Virgo adapted the true story of a teenage girl who escapes the Antebellum South into an Afrofuturist fairytale. The film is called Steal Away and focuses on the…
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Ron Funches on his post-Traitors autism diagnosis
Ron Funches has built a career turning the things that once made him feel different into his greatest strengths. Once bullied in school for his soft and higher pitched voice, it’s now his trademark in standup, and…
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Rebecca Northan wants you to give yourself permission to play
As an actor and theatre director, Rebecca Northan is all about being alive in the moment. She’s known for inviting the audience into her creative process, pulling them on-stage and getting them to improvise with her.…
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Luke Wilson reflects on his comedic chemistry with Will Ferrell
Luke Wilson stars in the new Netflix TV series, The Hawk, where he and Will Ferrell play rival pro-golfers. When the two work together, Will usually leads the scenes; but for the Hawk, Luke got to take charge. Q guest…
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How this artist created the “moccasin gaze” genre
After blending traditional Indigenous perspectives with shoegaze music to create the unique “moccasin gaze” genre, Zoon is back with their third studio album, Happy Thought School. Speaking with guest host Gill Deacon,…
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He didn’t know he was auditioning for Avatar: The Last Airbender
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee, the actor you might know best as Appa in Kim’s Convenience, or perhaps Captain Carson Teva in The Mandalorian, is returning for season two of another massive franchise: the live-action adaptation of…
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New music: Elysia Biro
Vancouver Island pianist and songwriter Elysia Biro introduces her new single, Reignite, in Q’s recurring New Music segment.
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Shania Twain takes Timmins, Ontario with her everywhere she goes
Shania Twain is one of the best-selling artists to ever come out of Canada. Her new album, Little Miss Twain, revisits her early years growing up in Timmins, Ontario, performing in bars, and being managed by her…
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Three Days Grace embraces the term “Divorced Dad Rock”
When Adam Gontier resigned as the frontman of Three Days Grace back in 2013, he couldn’t have imagined coming back to the band — and fronting it with his bandmate Matt Walst. Tom Power speaks to Adam and Matt about…
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How one man went from corporate recruiter to protest photographer
Not long ago, Misan Harriman was working a job in recruitment that just didn’t feel right. But when he picked up a camera and started sharing his photos online, they went viral. Misan is a British photographer and…
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How this music director keeps classical music alive
After 11 years, Alexander Shelley has stepped down as the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s music director. Alexander sits down with Tom Power in Ottawa’s Southam Hall to talk about how he was able to use music to tell…
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Why this playwright thinks kids’ worldviews are a superpower
Fiona Sauder has made a name reimagining classic literature for the stage today. The multi-Dora Award winner is now turning their attention to Kenneth Grahame’s novel, The Wind in the Willows. Fiona joins guest host…
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Celebrating 25 years of Wet Hot American Summer
David Wain is an American comedian, director and actor, best known for the 2001 cult classic film, Wet Hot American Summer. His new movie, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, is about a small town girl who…
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The Succession showrunner on writing about wealth and power
In a special Q recording, Tom Power interviewed Jesse Armstrong at the Banff World Media Festival in front of a live audience. Jesse talks about his award-winning writing, directing, and showrunning on hits like…
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Her music was suddenly a huge hit. But this Canadian musician felt isolated
Montreal-born, Nashville-based Allison Russell is a Grammy- and Juno Award-winning singer-songwriter, actor, and human rights advocate. Her new album is called In the Hour of Chaos, and on it, she taps friends and…
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Why this musician recorded Newfoundland's rural church organs
Michael Cloud Duguay and his collaborators toured rural towns in Newfoundland looking for something very specific to record: old organs in churches that are experiencing dwindling attendance. The result is a haunting…
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Why Zoe Whittall changed her name to write romance novels
Zoe Whittall is constantly changing her writing. She’s written novels, short story collections, memoir, and TV. And now she’s switching genres again — to romance. But her first romance novel, Chasing Summer, comes with…
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How did Cape Breton become part of a drug smuggling ring?
Andy Hines talks to Tom Power about his feature film Little Lorraine, based on a true story about a drug smuggling ring in 1980s Nova Scotia. He gets into why it was important for his first movie to take place in the…
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André Sills on finding the humanity in Othello’s tragedy
It’s André Sills’s biggest season yet at Ontario’s Stratford Festival. The award-winning actor is taking on two of Shakespeare’s most iconic roles: Oberon, the King of the Fairies in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and the…
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Mae Martin on the movie they reluctantly walked out of
Mae Martin has made us laugh with their stand-up comedy, made us cry in shows like Feel Good, and now they're being honoured with the Creative Voice Award at the Banff World Media Festival. Before the big honour, Mae…
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Before k.d. lang, before Peaches, there was Carole Pope
Carole Pope is one of Canada’s first queer female rock stars. In the ’70s and ’80s, Carole’s band Rough Trade was known for their political outspokenness, sexually charged lyrics and bold live performances. Rough Trade…
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Is Evanescence’s new album their best work yet?
Evanescence has released their sixth studio album, Sanctuary, and some fans are calling it their best work since their breakthrough record in 2003. Evanescence frontwoman Amy Lee tells Tom Power about finding new…
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Oyin Oladejo on the healing power of Medusa’s rage
A new Canadian play is reimagining the ancient Greek myth of Medusa and giving the gorgon a voice. Oyin Oladejo is playing the snake-haired lead in the Toronto production of Medusa. Oyin joins Tom in the studio to talk…
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Jack Innanen is dying to play a young Chris Hadfield
Jack Innanen has tapped into the zeitgeist with his viral TikTok sketches, earning him the title of “the internet’s boyfriend.” His millions of followers have since watched him make the leap into acting with roles in…
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Why Gail Maurice cast her own mother in a film inspired by her life
Gail Maurice wrote and directed her latest film, Blood Lines, with her hometown of Beauval, Saskatchewan, in mind. Some of the film's dialogue is spoken in Michif — a Métis language spoken fluently by fewer than 2,000…
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Anna Lambe thought TV was superficial until she found its power
Anna Lambe almost walked away from acting before landing her starring role in North of North. She had headed to Ottawa to study international development, deciding to focus less on acting and more on her activism for…
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