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
Feb 27, 2026 • 24min
Gorillaz on how loss and a trip to India inspired their new album
Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett — the architects of the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band Gorillaz — are back with their ninth studio record, The Mountain. It might be the group’s most personal record yet, as it follows a fictional story inspired by real events. After Damon and Jamie both lost their fathers, they decided to travel to India where they gained a new understanding of death and family. The Mountain was the result of that journey. Damon and Jamie join guest host Talia Schlanger to open up about the album and the personal loss that fuelled it.
Feb 27, 2026 • 28min
Montreal hip-hop group Muzion on bringing Haiti to the world
The Montreal hip-hop trio Muzion were pioneers of the Quebec rap scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group was known for bringing their Haitian roots to the world stage, mixing French, English and Haitian Creole into their music. For Black History Month, Canada Post recently unveiled special edition postage stamps to honour Muzion and other Canadian hip-hop artists that have helped shape the genre. Two of the members of Muzion — siblings Jenny Salgado and Stanley Salgado (better known as Imposs) — join guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us why this moment means so much to them, and to talk about Muzion’s enduring influence.
Feb 26, 2026 • 32min
At 85, Candi Staton is living her best life
Candi Staton, veteran American singer known for gospel, soul and disco hits like Young Hearts Run Free, reflects on a seven-decade career. She talks about returning to gospel with a Grammy-nominated album. Conversations cover touring during segregation, turning personal pain into music, and late-life revival and resilience.
Feb 26, 2026 • 16min
bbno$ on his journey from internet success to mainstream hitmaker
bbno$ (Alexander Gumuchian), a Canadian rapper who turned viral moments into chart success. He recounts his rise from making music for fun to scoring a global hit with catchy hooks. Hear stories of early virality in China, the making of "La La La," playful PR tactics, and how TikTok and relentless release strategy propelled him to mainstream recognition.
Feb 25, 2026 • 29min
Reggae legend Leroy Sibbles is a “have been, not a has been”
Leroy Sibbles, reggae singer, bassist and Studio One stalwart who helped build Toronto’s reggae scene, reflects on Trenchtown roots and The Heptones' rise. He recounts crafting iconic bass grooves, moving to Canada for love and shaping live reggae at the Bamboo Club. He also shares stories about studio life, his Juno win and collaborations that cemented his legacy.
Feb 25, 2026 • 21min
Jesse Mockrin is reframing the lost stories of women in historical art
Jesse Mockrin, a contemporary American painter who reframes European art from a feminist lens, discusses reimagining overlooked women in historical paintings. She talks about cropping and composition to expose objectification. Conversations explore hands as a lost language, linking past depictions of violence and childbirth to present politics, and mixing celebration with difficult histories.
Feb 24, 2026 • 24min
Director Oliver Laxe says Sirāt was written on the dance floor
Oliver Laxe is the director of the Oscar-nominated film Sirāt, which is up for best international feature (representing Spain) and best sound at this year’s Academy Awards. Set against vast stretches of desert, the film follows a father searching for his missing daughter after she disappears at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco. Oliver spent more than a decade making Sirāt, paring the script down to just 50 pages and letting its deep techno score, movement and imagery drive the story. In this conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, he talks about his singular approach to storytelling, and the surprising role the dance floor played in his own healing.
Feb 24, 2026 • 16min
Two weeks before thyroid surgery, Koladae wrote “a song to survive”
After years working behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer, followed by a nearly decade-long hiatus in the corporate world, Koladae made the decision to finally release his own music. But then, a little over a year ago, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He wrote his latest single, Keep Rolling, just two weeks before his surgery. Koladae talks to guest host Garvia Bailey about what this difficult experience taught him about life, and about making music.
Feb 23, 2026 • 22min
Suzy Eddie Izzard is bringing honour to the women of Hamlet
Suzy Eddie Izzard is a Tony-nominated actor, stand-up comedian, multi-marathon runner and one-time political candidate. Now, she’s performing a solo adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the CAA Theatre in Toronto, in which she plays all 23 characters. Suzy joins guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us about the challenges of doing Hamlet solo, why she was especially keen to breathe new life into Shakespeare's female characters, and why conventional beauty is like winning the acting lottery.
Feb 23, 2026 • 18min
From stage fright to stage presence, Zochi is evolving
Zochi is a Regina-based, Nigerian-born artist who’s just released a new single called What You Want. It showcases her smooth vocals and vulnerable storytelling, diving into feelings of unrequited love. She joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about being honest in her music, how moving to Canada changed her life, and why she’s never giving up on love.
