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
Mar 26, 2026 • 25min
A.C. Newman reflects on endings after a sobering year for The New Pornographers
A.C. Newman, frontman and songwriter for The New Pornographers, reflects on songwriting, loss and a turbulent year for the band. He talks about writing songs as short stories, the inspiration behind tracks like 'Spooky Action' and nostalgic tales such as the last payphone. He also discusses a painful band rupture, re-recording with Charlie Drayton, and learning to slow down and savor moments.
Mar 25, 2026 • 41min
Melissa Auf der Maur on Hole’s chaos — and its genius
In her new memoir, Even the Good Girls Will Cry, Canadian musician Melissa Auf der Maur pulls back the curtain on the alternative and grunge scene of the ’90s. She tells Tom Power about the chaotic, often destructive dynamics within Hole — and how, through it all, frontwoman Courtney Love emerged as one of rock’s most powerful feminist voices. With both her bass and her camera as constant companions, Melissa made it through the decade not only intact, but stronger. The Montreal-born musician and artist joins Tom Power to share the whirlwind story of how it all came to be.
Mar 24, 2026 • 25min
This dad turned his toddler’s stories into viral hits
Stephen Spencer, a composer and music professor who turned his three-year-old’s spoken stories into viral songs. He describes how he captures spontaneous toddler phrasing and arranges it at the piano. They laugh over surprising lines and discuss preserving unpolished childhood voice. He reflects on creative innocence, why listeners respond emotionally, and plans for more music as the family grows.
Mar 24, 2026 • 25min
How Good Kid built a band with the internet — and what AI means for music
Jacob Tsafatinos, songwriter and community-builder for Toronto indie band Good Kid. Nick Frosst, Cohere co-founder and band frontman who bridges AI and music. They discuss building a massive online following via gaming streams and Discord. They recount recording an album in LA amid wildfires and how confinement shaped songs. They debate AI’s role as augmentation in the creative process.
Mar 23, 2026 • 14min
Tedy is unapologetic about money and ambition
Many artists won’t talk openly about money and ambition, but Haitian Canadian singer-songwriter Tedy says the quiet part out loud. In 2025, he released his debut album, Scandalous. One of the album’s standout tracks, Rich, is blunt, catchy and unapologetic — a song about not wanting to work hard, just wanting to be rich. The irony is that Tedy is working harder than ever right now. He sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about his rising music career.
8 snips
Mar 23, 2026 • 24min
Tomson Highway and Patricia Cano on their decades-long creative partnership
Tomson Highway, Cree playwright, novelist and composer from northern Manitoba, and Patricia Cano, singer-actor who first played Emily Dictionary at U of T, reflect on a 30-year creative partnership. They talk about Rose finally receiving a professional staging. They discuss climate urgency motivating the timing, how music helped Patricia learn Cree, and the evolving, family-like bond between them.
Mar 20, 2026 • 23min
Forget kindred spirits — Project Hail Mary’s Lord and Miller are kindred weirdos
Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) are two college friends with a gift for turning “unfilmable” ideas into box office gold. From the cult favourite series Clone High to the high-concept chaos of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, they’ve built a career on big swings and absurd humour. Now, the Oscar-winning duo is heading into deep space with their new sci-fi blockbuster Project Hail Mary. Lord and Miller join guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about adapting a beloved novel, being fearless in an industry that seems allergic to risk, and what it takes to keep your friendship and creative partnership alive in Hollywood.
Mar 20, 2026 • 19min
At the height of pop stardom, Tate McRae is learning how to stay present
Calgary's Tate McRae is tied with Justin Bieber for the most nominations at this year’s Juno Awards, with six apiece. Last year, she talked to Tom Power about her skyrocketing career, growing up on social media, and how she’s learning to slow down and appreciate the present moment.
Mar 19, 2026 • 33min
Morgan Neville tells Paul McCartney’s post-Beatles story
Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom, Won't You Be My Neighbor?) is turning his attention to Paul McCartney in a new film, Man on the Run. It explores Paul’s life after the breakup of The Beatles, tracing the personal and creative journey that led him to form the band Wings. Morgan joins guest host Garvia Bailey to discuss his conversations with Paul, and why he says the musician wanted to speak so candidly about this pivotal chapter in his life.
Mar 19, 2026 • 17min
You know J.S. Bach — but what about his cousin Johann Ludwig Bach?
There’s something abuzz in the classical music world — something 300 years in the making. It’s a new recording from a 300-year-old manuscript of Bach’s Leipzig cantatas, but with a surprising twist: the works aren’t by Johann Sebastian Bach, but his distant cousin, Johann Ludwig Bach. Renowned conductor Johanna Soller is the driving force behind the album, titled Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas. She joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about recording these pieces for the first time, and why they matter today.
