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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Oct 8, 2024 • 33min
Law Roach: Meet the “image architect” behind Zendaya, Celine Dion & more
As a self-described “image architect,” Law Roach is single-handedly responsible for styling Zendaya’s daring looks, as well as Celine Dion and Lindsay Lohan’s career comeback transformations. While he has no formal training, Law managed to become one of the most influential stylists in the world through sheer grit and instinct. Now, he’s released a new book, “How to Build a Fashion Icon,” which is both a memoir and a manual. Law joins Tom to tell us how thrifting with his grandmother helped him cultivate his style, how he rigged the “Who Wore It Best?” columns to put Zendaya on the map, and why he decided to announce his retirement at the height of his success.
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Oct 8, 2024 • 18min
Janelle Niles: Why Canada needs more pointed political comedy
Janelle Niles is a Black, Mi'kmaw, two-spirited comedian who’s been bringing her sharp humour to stages around Canada for the past few years. Now, she’s one of eight comedians featured in “Rez Comedy,” the first stand-up comedy film featuring all Indigenous Canadian comics. Janelle sits down with Tom to talk about the film and her life in comedy, from being the class clown in school to becoming a “progressive edgelord” on stage.
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Oct 7, 2024 • 36min
Victor Garber: Why there’s still one thing left on his acting bucket list
The Canadian actor Victor Garber (Titanic, Legally Blonde, Alias) has enjoyed an incredible career on stage and screen. This month, he’ll be honoured with a lifetime achievement award from the Forest City Film Festival — but there’s still at least one more thing he wants to accomplish. Victor sits down with Tom for a career-spanning chat about his time in the successful sunshine pop group The Sugar Shoppe, his starring role as Jesus Christ in the legendary Canadian production of “Godspell,” his iconic supporting role in James Cameron’s “Titanic,” and why he hopes his big film break is yet to come.
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Oct 7, 2024 • 17min
Quick Q: How Patrick Watson channeled Leonard Cohen without imitating his sound
When the Montreal singer-songwriter Patrick Watson was tapped to write music for “So Long, Marianne” — a new scripted series about the romance between Leonard Cohen and Marianne Ihlen — he had to find a way to channel Leonard’s music without imitating his sound. Patrick ended up writing the theme song for the series and his involvement didn’t end there. He joins Tom to talk about his work on “So Long, Marianne” and his relationship with the late Canadian icon.
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Oct 4, 2024 • 25min
Kelsey Grammer: Why Frasier is more than just his most famous role
For many of his fans, Kelsey Grammer is inseparable from his character Dr. Frasier Crane, who first appeared on “Cheers” and later got his own spin-off, “Frasier.” Last year, the actor reprised the role in a reboot of “Frasier” that’s now in its second season. But Kelsey’s connection to his most famous character runs deeper than simple nostalgia. He opens up about how the cast of “Frasier” became his family after he suffered several personal tragedies, why he didn’t always feel welcomed on “Cheers,” and how he ended up voicing Sideshow Bob on “The Simpsons.”
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Oct 4, 2024 • 23min
Carrie-Anne Moss: The Matrix and her new movie about a zombie-like pandemic
After years of struggling with auditions, the Canadian actor Carrie-Anne Moss landed the role of a lifetime playing Trinity in “The Matrix.” In her latest movie, “Die Alone,” she plays Mae, a hardened and eccentric survivor of a pandemic that’s caused a zombie-like outbreak. Carrie-Ann talks to Tom about the film, how “The Matrix” changed her life, and how she managed to maneuver fame and the Hollywood system after getting that breakthrough role.
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Oct 3, 2024 • 34min
Ezra Koenig: Vampire Weekend is all grown up
Lead singer Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend has been called a generational voice in indie rock. From the band’s iconic first singles “A-Punk” and “Oxford Comma” to their acclaimed follow-up albums “Contra” and “Modern Vampires of the City,” their music defined the mid-‘00s for millions of people. Now, Vampire Weekend is back with their fifth album, “Only God Was Above Us.” Ezra joins Tom in the Q studio to talk about the new record, the early days of the band, and what it’s like having Quincy Jones for a father-in-law.
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Oct 3, 2024 • 13min
Quick Q: How meditation helped Dylan Sinclair make his debut album
Toronto’s Dylan Sinclair is a rising star on the Canadian R&B scene. Last year, he and singer Savannah Ré won a Juno for their collaboration, "Last One." Now, he’s released his highly anticipated debut album, “For the Boy In Me,” which is some of his most honest and vulnerable music yet. Dylan sits down with Tom to talk about the record, and how meditation and self-discovery tie into his sound.
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Oct 2, 2024 • 23min
Liza Colón-Zayas: Finding family and stability on The Bear
On the hit series “The Bear,” Liza Colón-Zayas plays a middle-aged line cook named Tina who’s challenged by her mentors to learn new skills as a sous-chef. In some ways, her character’s story mirrors her own journey as an actor. Liza joins Tom to talk about the scarcity and struggle she had to overcome on her path to success, how her setbacks continue to shape her as an artist, and how as an actor you can feel invisible as you age.
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Oct 2, 2024 • 24min
Leif Vollebekk: How he literally dreamt up his new album
Back in 2020, the Canadian singer-songwriter Leif Vollebekk found himself with a lot of extra time to think about the direction of his life and music. During that time, he allowed himself the space to dream, both figuratively and literally. Those dreams became the foundation of his new album, “Revelation.” Leif joins Tom to talk about the record and what he learned from reading Carl Jung’s “Memories, Dreams, Reflections.”
