Q with Tom Power - podcast cover

Q with Tom Power

Five days a week, Tom Power brings you candid conversations with some of the most exciting artists of our time. The conversation is informal, playful and allows musicians, writers, actors and filmmakers to explore their art and the contexts that have shaped them throughout their career.


Whether he’s ribbing Adele, singing a boy band classic with Simu Liu, or dissecting faith with U2 frontman Bono, Tom brings the same curiosity, respect and meticulous preparation into every conversation. 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.


Q covers arts and culture in all its forms, including music, movies, film, cinema, TV, comedy, painting, photography, theatre, Broadway, fashion, dance, opera, documentaries, books, fiction, memoirs and so much more. Tom gives each and every artist the space to tell their story in their own words. 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.


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).


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 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, 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 and Hans Zimmer.

Episodes

Lin-Manuel Miranda: How a talk with George Lucas changed his perspective on success

Lin-Manuel Miranda changed the face of Broadway forever when he wrote the musical “Hamilton.” Now, he’s bringing his talent back to the screen with Disney’s upcoming film “Mufasa: The Lion King.” Lin joins Tom Power to talk about why we can’t get enough of “The Lion King,” how the wild success of “Hamilton” changed his life, and what he thinks about the state of Broadway today.

Dec 18, 202427 min

Quick Q: The Sheepdogs on their 20 years as a band

From playing bars in Saskatoon to arenas around the world, the Canadian rock band The Sheepdogs have come a long way in two decades. To mark their 20th anniversary as a band, lead singer Ewan Currie joins Tom Power to talk about what it means to have longevity in rock and roll — and why the band couldn’t resist making a holiday song.

Dec 18, 202415 min

Cher: The difficult reality behind the scenes of The Sonny & Cher Show

This year, decades after re-establishing herself as a solo artist, Cher was finally recognized by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. She’s also just released a new book, “Cher: The Memoir,” which is the first of a two-part autobiography that covers her start in music from 1946 to 1976. In this conversation with Tom Power, Cher tells us her story of growing up with a mother who wanted to be a star herself, how she found out she could sing, and why behind the scenes Sonny & Cher was not at all ...

Dec 17, 202425 min

Remembering percussionist Zakir Hussain

The acclaimed tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain has died at age 73. Last year, he was in Toronto for his show “Masters of Percussion” at Massey Hall. Just before that concert, he spoke to Tom Power about his life in music, from his most notable collaborations to the life advice he got from the late George Harrison. In tribute, we revisit that conversation.

Dec 17, 202427 min

Michael Healey: His stage satire about the failure to build a smart city in Toronto

Michael Healey’s award-winning play “The Master Plan” is a biting satire about the Sidewalk Labs fiasco in Toronto, when the Google sister company attempted to build a smart city in an underdeveloped neighbourhood on the city’s waterfront. It’s based on the book “Sideways: The City Google Couldn't Buy” by tech reporter Josh O’Kane, and it’s now being remounted at the Soulpepper Theatre in Toronto. Michael joins Tom Power to talk about the play and the clash of Big Tech and municipal politics. Pl...

Dec 16, 202425 min

D.D. Jackson and George Elliott Clarke: Can any poem be turned into music?

The Canadian pianist D.D. Jackson got an unusual request during the pandemic: his old friend, Canada’s former poet laureate George Elliott Clarke, asked him to turn a poem he had written for his daughter into a song. That led to a whole project in which George sent D.D. different works by Canadian poets for D.D. to transform into music. The result of their collaboration is a new album called “Poetry Project.” D.D. and George join Tom Power to talk about the album and set up a song from it....

Dec 16, 202423 min

Gwen Stefani: No Doubt’s early days and her new album Bouquet

It’s been eight years since Gwen Stefani has released an album. Following a very public divorce, she needed some time to heal, pick up the pieces of her life and find her voice again. Now, after some time away from music, she’s back with her fifth studio album, “Bouquet.” Gwen joins Tom Power to talk about the record, her time in No Doubt, and finding real love for what she says might be the first time.

Dec 13, 202432 min

The OBGMs: How therapy shaped their new record

Densil McFarlane, the lead singer of the Canadian punk rock band The OBGMs, felt like he was in a rut, so he decided to seek out therapy. That decision opened up a whole new world that he explores on his band’s new album, “Sorry, It’s Over.” Densil sits down with guest host Saroja Coelho to chat about the album and what he learned about being vulnerable in his art.

Dec 13, 202428 min

Snotty Nose Rez Kids: Why they believe in a Red Future

The hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids are back with their sixth studio album (and first on a major label), “Red Future.” Yung Trybez and Young D join Tom Power to talk about the concept of Indigenous Futurism, riding the line between serious subject matter and levity, and why they believe this record is their magnum opus.

Dec 12, 202430 min

Jane Schoenbrun: I Saw the TV Glow and their ‘90s TV obsessions

The director Jane Schoenbrun first became known for their 2021 movie “We're All Going to the World's Fair,” which tapped into a teenaged fascination with the culture of viral memes. Jane’s latest film, “I Saw the TV Glow,” follows two suburban teens who get emotionally enmeshed in a fictional ‘90s TV show called “The Pink Opaque.” The result is a moody investigation of identity, growing up and making decisions about who you want to be. “I Saw the TV Glow” was recently nominated for six Spirit Aw...

Dec 12, 202418 min

Dennis Lyxzén: When your song becomes a big hit after the band breaks up

It’s been more than 25 years since the Swedish hardcore punk band Refused released their seminal album, “The Shape of Punk to Come.” Their most famous song from that album, “New Noise,” has been called a political anthem and a protest song. It’s been used in the Palme d'Or'-winning film “Triangle of Sadness” as well as in the hit show “The Bear.” Frontman Dennis Lyxzén of Refused joins Tom Power to tell us how “New Noise” became a global hit after the band had already called it quits.

Dec 11, 202417 min

Remembering poet Nikki Giovanni

Nikki Giovanni carved out a revolutionary legacy during the civil rights era with poems that uplifted the experiences of Black Americans. On Monday, she died at age 81, following her third cancer diagnosis. We revisit Tom Power’s conversation with the iconic poet from earlier in the year when she discussed her involvement in the birth of hip-hop, why artists should go to space, and how she packed a club full of 100 people that included guests like Morgan Freeman and Nina Simone. 

Dec 10, 202433 min

Elif Shafak: What being prosecuted for her novels taught her about freedom of expression

The British-Turkish writer Elif Shafak has written over a dozen novels, many of which have been translated to nearly 60 languages. She’s often credited as being the most-read female novelist in Turkey. Elif joins Tom to talk about the importance of water in her latest novel There are Rivers in the Sky, the transformational power of literature, and what being prosecuted for her work has taught her about freedom of expression. 

Dec 10, 202432 min

Valdy: The Canadian folk music legend reflects on his 50-year career

Canadian folk musician Valdy has been making music and criss-crossing the country for over 50 years. Valdy has 16 albums to his name, sold over half a million records and received the Order of Canada and two Junos. Valdy joins Tom in the Q studio to talk about his iconic 1972 hit “Rock and Roll Song,” what keeps him playing almost 200 shows per year at the age of 79 and his political and social activism.

Dec 09, 202436 min

Patrick Nichols: What it’s like to photograph the Toronto hip-hop scene

Patrick Nichols has been photographing Toronto’s hip-hop artists for decades. His latest photo, “A Great Day in Toronto Hip Hop,” features 103 key players from the scene captured all in one place. It’s just been put on display in the Art Gallery of Ontario’s new exhibit, “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century.” Patrick sits down with Tom Power to talk about the photograph, trading in a turntable for a camera, and his life in photography and hip-hop.

Dec 09, 202416 min

Margo Martindale: How she turns sweet characters into "sticky" ones

Margo Martindale is no stranger to playing dangerous women, whether it be a KGB agent on “The Americans” or the matriarch of a crime family on “Justified.” She now turns her talents to another dangerous woman: Ruth Landry, a maple syrup farmer in rural Quebec who decides to pull an $18 million maple syrup heist in “The Sticky,” a new series based on a true story. She tells Tom Power about how she used her childhood in rural Texas to inspire her portrayal of Ruth and what it was like to speak Fre...

Dec 06, 202430 min

Michael Ross Albert: Why the nightmare of buying a home inspired his new play

When Michael Ross Albert recently bought a condo in Toronto, he realized that the dream of homeownership is more like a nightmare. The Canadian playwright was inspired by his own and his friends’ experiences of homeownership to write his new play, “The Bidding War.” The dark comedy chronicles several Torontonians trying to purchase the “last nice home” in the city. He joins Tom Power in the Q studio to discuss why our senses of hope and ambition get wrapped up into the search for a home and the ...

Dec 06, 202420 min

Alan Cumming: What connects him to a New Brunswick ad man

When Scottish actor Alan Cumming read the script for the Canadian movie “Drive Back Home,” he really connected to the character of Perley, a New Brunswick-born ad man living in Toronto in the 1970s. Despite the obvious differences, the character, like Alan, was abused by his father when he showed early signs of his queerness. Alan joins Tom Power to chat about what it’s like to act out scenes so close to home, in a land very far from his own. 

Dec 05, 202423 min

Julian Taylor: Why he needed to go inward to write his new album

Julian Taylor is back with a new album, “Pathways.” The Toronto singer-songwriter needed to go inward to make this new album, writing songs about the realities of being a musician and reflecting on his experiences of being dropped by a label when he was younger. Julian drops by the Q studio to tell Tom Power about his ups-and-downs in the music industry, what was on his mind when making the new album, and to set up a song.

Dec 05, 202426 min

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 w...

Dec 04, 202431 min

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....

Dec 04, 202420 min

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.

Dec 03, 202431 min

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....

Dec 03, 202414 min

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-winni...

Dec 02, 202436 min

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.

Dec 02, 202418 min

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...

Nov 29, 202431 min

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...

Nov 29, 202414 min

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 Shoe...

Nov 28, 202431 min

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.

Nov 28, 202412 min