

Q with Tom Power
CBC
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.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, Hans Zimmer, Denis Villeneuve, Alex Garland, Alan Ritchson, Britt Lower, Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, David Blaine, Brian Tyree Henry, Perfume Genius, Deepa Mehta, Tracy Chapman, Chloë Sevigny, Josh Hartnett and many more.
Episodes
Mentioned books
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Dec 4, 2024 • 31min
Taylor Tomlinson: Her early days on the Christian comedy circuit
The comedian Taylor Tomlinson grew up in a religious household, so her very first stand-up performances were on the Christian comedy circuit. But after she got fired from a church gig because of a joke she told, she started branching out her comedy. Now, she’s one of the biggest comics in the world, the host of “After Midnight” on CBS, and she’s just released her latest comedy special, “Have it All.” Taylor joins Tom Power to talk about her early stand-up days and what it’s like being the only woman currently working in late-night television.
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Dec 4, 2024 • 20min
Ryan Ofei: Why some people think Christian music isn’t marketable
Ryan Ofei is a Canadian artist who grew up singing in the church, but due to feeling like an outsider, he abandoned his passion for Christian music in favour of R&B. After a near-death experience made him re-evaluate his life and values, Ryan found his way back to writing about his relationship with God, and since then has gone on to win a Grammy for his work. He joins Tom Power to talk about his debut album, “Restore,” and why he wants to make Christian music a little bit more accessible.
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Dec 3, 2024 • 31min
Fortune Feimster: Joyful comedy and how Chelsea Handler gave her her first big break
The comedian Fortune Feimster is back with a new Netflix comedy special, “Crushing It,” which debuts today. In this conversation with Tom Power, Fortune tells us how she discovered her passion for comedy, how Chelsea Handler gave her her first big break in Hollywood, and what she thinks about being described as a “joyful” comedian.
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Dec 3, 2024 • 14min
Quick Q: Klô Pelgag on motherhood, creativity & francophone music in Canada
The Quebec singer-songwriter Klô Pelgag has gone through some big changes since being shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in 2021. She wrote her latest album, “Abracadabra,” after becoming a mother for the first time, which completely changed her relationship to music and the world. Klô joins Tom Power to discuss how she’s rediscovering herself as an artist. Plus, she sets up a song called “Lettre à une jeune poète” and talks about the challenges of being a francophone musician in Canada.
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Dec 2, 2024 • 36min
John Adams: Classical music’s role in telling contemporary stories
John Adams (Nixon In China, Doctor Atomic) is a Pulitzer and Grammy-winning composer who’s one of the biggest living names in the world of opera and classical music. He’s helped give opera a more contemporary lens by steering his work toward big political events in modern history. His latest opera, “Girls of the Golden West,” looks at the California Gold Rush, and it was recently nominated for two Grammys. John joins Tom Power to discuss his decades-long career in music, his Pulitzer Prize-winning composition inspired by 9/11, and what role he thinks classical music can play when it comes to telling contemporary stories.
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Dec 2, 2024 • 18min
Allan Louis: What it means to be the first Black actor to lead My Fair Lady
The actor Allan Louis has stepped into the role of Henry Higgins in the beloved Broadway musical “My Fair Lady,” which is on now at the Shaw Festival in Ontario. Allan took over the role from another actor earlier this fall. He joins Tom Power to talk about his transition from understudy to leading man, and how the character of Henry Higgins changes when a Black actor takes on the role.
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Nov 29, 2024 • 31min
Shelley Niro: Why it’s time for new images of Indigenous womanhood
The Mohawk artist Shelley Niro was inspired to professionally pursue art after seeing prints of Norval Morrisseau's work on the wall at her dentist’s office. Now, she has two prestigious Canadian contemporary art awards under her belt (the Governor General's Award in Visual and Media Arts and the Scotiabank Photography Award) and she’s celebrating her first major career retrospective, “500 Year Itch,” at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Shelley joins Tom Power to talk about the show, how her work uses pop culture and satire to puncture stereotypes about Indigenous people, and how she developed her unique sense of humour.
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Nov 29, 2024 • 14min
Quick Q: Jeremie Albino on working with Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys
Jeremie Albino is one of the most soulful voices in Canada right now. He grew up in Scarborough, Ont., but spent many years in rural parts of Ontario and Quebec, where he focused on his dual passions for farming and music. While he still has a green thumb, music kind of won out in the end. His new album, “Our Time in the Sun,” was produced by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys who brought in some of Nashville’s best musicians to help out. Jeremie sits down with Tom Power to talk about the record and to set up his song “So Many Ways To Say I Love You.”
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Nov 28, 2024 • 31min
Anna Sui: Why we're so nostalgic for the authenticity of the ‘90s
The American fashion designer Anna Sui helped create and define the styles that we now associate with ‘90s fashion. Widely regarded as a visionary and a trailblazer, Anna is known for her incredibly thoughtful yet whimsical designs that draw inspiration anywhere from Pre-Raphaelite art to Agatha Christie novels to coral reefs. She joins Tom Power to discuss some of her career highlights from that golden era, her lasting influence on the ‘90s aesthetic, and her new collaboration with Fluevog Shoes.
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Nov 28, 2024 • 12min
Quick Q: Dorothea Paas on her new album Think of Mist
Three years after the release of her acclaimed debut album, “Anything Can’t Happen,” the Canadian singer-songwriter Dorothea Paas has returned with a brand new record, “Think of Mist.” She sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to set up a song from the album.