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

Will Oldham: How he ended up conducting Johnny Cash in the recording booth

The musician Will Oldham, also known as Bonnie "Prince" Billy, is more than 30 years into his career with no sign of slowing down. With the release of his new album, “The Purple Bird,” Will joins Tom Power to reflect on his life and music. He tells us about the time he met Johnny Cash, how he ended up conducting Cash’s cover of his song “I See a Darkness,” and how that memorable recording session led him to meeting David Ferguson, the producer of his latest record.

Feb 20, 202525 min

Matt Wright makes the case for silliness + Vivian Chong opens up about dating

Matt Wright is a Canadian comedian from Newfoundland and Labrador who’s just released his first stand-up special, "Live at the Majestic.” He drops by our studio to chat with Tom Power about his life in comedy and why he says it's his human right to be a goof. Plus, Vivian Chong is a Dora-nominated performer who’s blind in both eyes. She lost her vision a few years ago after she had a toxic reaction to a medication. Now, she’s taking audiences into her dating life with a new one-woman show, “Blin...

Feb 20, 202527 min

Matthew Rankin: Universal Language and his surreal vision of an alternate Winnipeg

Matthew Rankin is the Canadian director and star of the film “Universal Language.” It’s an absurdist comedy set in an alternate version of Winnipeg with two official languages: Farsi and French. During the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, Matthew dropped by to chat with Tom Power about his vision for this film and why he wanted to collaborate with Winnipeg’s Persian community.

Feb 19, 202525 min

Quick Q: How an edible changed Charlie Houston’s entire life and career

When the Canadian musician Charlie Houston was a student at NYU a few years ago, she took an edible that gave her a really bad trip. It was so bad that she quit music, dropped out of school and moved back in with her parents in Toronto. Now, she’s released her debut album, “Big After I Die,” which explores the precarious and often surreal experience of transitioning between phases of life. Charlie sits down with Tom Power to tell us the story of the edible that changed her life and how she got b...

Feb 19, 202514 min

Jann Arden: The ‘90s are back on her new album Mixtape

The Canadian singer-songwriter Jann Arden joins Tom Power to talk about her new covers album “Mixtape,” the time she was called a one-hit wonder, and why she thinks the ‘90s are making a resurgence in 2025.

Feb 18, 202520 min

Avan Jogia: The former Nickelodeon star on the dark reality of being a teen actor

Avan Jogia is a Canadian actor, author and director who spent his teen years in the spotlight as one of the stars of the hit Nickelodeon series “Victorious.” Now, Avan’s new book of poetry, “Autopsy (of an Ex-Teen Heartthrob),” takes a critical look at the culture of celebrity and the sinister side of fame. Avan tells Tom Power about how starring on a Nickelodeon show felt like he was “performing adolescence and purity,” what he thinks about the documentary “Quiet on Set,” and why he’s chosen po...

Feb 18, 202524 min

Jason Reynolds: Why he wrote a tender love story from a teen boy’s POV

When the award-winning author Jason Reynolds was visiting a juvenile detention centre, he asked what kind of books young boys checked out the most. The answer really surprised him: romance novels. Jason realized that young men have a real hunger to learn about love, sensitivity and intimacy. That sparked the idea for his latest book, "Twenty-Four Seconds from Now,” which follows a Black teen boy who’s about to have sex with his girlfriend for the first time. A few months ago, Jason joined Tom Po...

Feb 17, 202533 min

Tia Wood: Finding her own sound in her musical family

A few years ago, the musician Tia Wood moved to Los Angeles from her home of Saddle Lake Cree Nation in Alberta. Though she comes from a musical family (her mom is in a drum group, her sister is a Juno winner, and her dad is a founder of the award-winning group Northern Cree), Tia has managed to find her own sound. Now, she’s the first Indigenous woman to be signed to Sony Music Canada, and she’s released her debut EP, “Pretty Red Bird.” Back in November, she sat down with Tom Power to set up a ...

Feb 17, 202518 min

Alessia Cara: Being an introvert in an extrovert’s industry

The Grammy-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Alessia Cara has a unique talent for capturing the inner life of someone growing up in the digital age as they deal with love, acceptance and rejection. On her fourth and latest album, “Love & Hyperbole,” she opens up about her feelings of being an introvert in an extrovert’s industry. Alessia sits down with Tom Power to talk about the record and how it reflects her growth as an artist.

Feb 14, 202535 min

Quick Q: Brandi Carlile on collaborating with her hero, Elton John

They say never meet your heroes, but don't tell that to Brandi Carlile. The 11-time Grammy winner has teamed up with Elton John on a new album, “Who Believes in Angels?” Its title track is all about the realities of working with someone you admire. Brandi joins Tom Power to introduce us to the song and tell us more about her collaboration with Elton.

Feb 14, 202515 min

Neko Case: Why she says Canada’s music scene is “much healthier” than in the U.S.

The Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Neko Case has written her first memoir, titled “The Harder I Fight The More I Love You.” It traces her upbringing in the Pacific Northwest to moving to Canada and starting her career as a professional musician. Neko sits down with Tom Power to look back on her life, how music (specifically Canadian music) gave her a home, and why she wanted to write honestly about the challenges faced by musicians today.

Feb 13, 202535 min

Quick Q: How Aysanabee is giving back to local artists on his new tour

For his first headline tour from Ontario to Atlantic Canada, the Juno-winning singer-songwriter Aysanabee is shining a light on local First Nations, Métis and Inuit artists in each of the small communities he’s visiting. Aysanabee joins Tom Power to talk about his call out for openers. Plus, he plays us his new single, “Edge Of The Earth.”

Feb 13, 202515 min

Chris Sanders: Why The Wild Robot is the perfect children's fable for our time

When the filmmaker and animator Chris Sanders (Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon) decided to adapt Peter Brown’s kids’ book “The Wild Robot” for the screen, he threw a lot of modern animation conventions out the window. Chris decided to use hand-painted images instead of CGI and he centered the story on motherhood when mothers are mostly absent in kids’ movies. Now, “The Wild Robot” is nominated for three Oscars. Chris joins guest host Gill Deacon to tell us more about the film and how...

Feb 12, 202525 min

Neema Bickersteth: What happens when a professional singer has a frog in her throat?

There’s a new production in Toronto that explores the very first musical instrument: the voice. “The Wolf in the Voice” features three singers, including the acclaimed Canadian soprano, dancer and performer Neema Bickersteth. She joins Tom Power to talk about the show, how it investigates the relationship between singing and the human voice, and the joy — and deep anxieties — faced by professional singers.

Feb 12, 202523 min

Colman Domingo: How the veteran actor honed his craft in the circus

After decades stealing scenes as a supporting actor, Colman Domingo generated Oscar buzz for his first lead role in the Obama-backed Netflix film “Rustin.” In this conversation with Tom Power from a little while back, Colman talks about the weight of playing the civil rights leader Bayard Rustin (advisor to Martin Luther King Jr.), what he learned about vulnerability when he was a professional clown, and why acting is a form of service to the public.

Feb 11, 202525 min

Darcy Michael & Jer Baer: What it’s like living out their love story on the internet

When Darcy Michael started a TikTok channel with his husband Jeremy Baer, he was a retired stand-up comedian who had spent nearly 20 years trying to find an audience. After Darcy and Jer (as they’re known online) started posting candid videos together from their home in British Columbia, millions of fans across the internet found them. Now, in two new streaming specials — “No Refunds” and “Happily Ever Laughter” — Darcy and Jer open up about living out their love story in public. The two sit dow...

Feb 11, 202524 min

Bob Geldof: How he convinced Queen’s Freddie Mercury to do Live Aid

Bob Geldof is a musician, activist and one of the organizers of Live Aid, the massive 1985 benefit concert that raised millions for famine relief in Ethiopia. Some of the biggest artists and bands of all time came together for that concert — but how did Bob convince them all to give up their time for free on the same day? Ahead of the Toronto opening of “Just For One Day,” a new jukebox musical about Live Aid, Bob sits down with Tom Power to share some of the stories from behind the scenes of Li...

Feb 10, 202548 min

Jully Black: Why Canada's queen of R&B soul raises her voice for others

Jully Black is a powerhouse singer-songwriter from Toronto who’s often called Canada's queen of R&B soul. Now, she’s embarking on her first cross-country tour in almost 17 years. Jully sits down with Tom Power to tell us how singing in church at age six put her on her artistic path, why she feels speaking out is always the right thing to do, and how this upcoming tour celebrates connection, resilience and joy.

Feb 07, 202534 min

Rufus Wainwright: Mourning the death of the American Dream with his first requiem

Rufus Wainwright is a difficult artist to categorize at the best of times. As a musician, he’s recorded pop songs, folk music, operas and stage musicals. But his new album, “Dream Requiem,” is a little different, even for him. It’s a religious work inspired by a range of subjects, including a poem by Lord Byron, the music of Giuseppe Verdi, and his beloved late dog Puccini. He also managed to recruit Meryl Streep to narrate the project. Rufus joins Tom Power over Zoom to talk about the different...

Feb 06, 202525 min

Quick Q: How Lia Pappas-Kemps perfectly captures teen angst

The Toronto singer-songwriter and actor Lia Pappas-Kemps (best known for her role as Jane in “Anne with an E”) recently released her debut EP, “Gleam.” She calls the record a fragmented love letter to her teenage years, which isn’t surprising seeing as she wrote it all between the ages of 16 and 19. Lia joins Tom Power to discuss the EP and she introduces us to a track called “Switchblade.”

Feb 06, 202513 min

Tom Rooney: The esteemed Canadian actor on what it takes to play a dog

Tom Rooney is one of Canada’s most beloved stage actors. Over the last three decades, he’s taken on some of theatre’s most memorable roles, from Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet” to Henry Higgins in “My Fair Lady.” But Tom has also played a big part in contemporary Canadian theatre, which is where we find him now. Currently, he’s playing Majnoun in Mirvish’s remount of “Fifteen Dogs,” based on the Giller Prize-winning book of the same name by André Alexis. The story follows a group of dogs who are giv...

Feb 05, 202525 min

Terry O’Reilly: How he became Canada’s king of advertising

The CBC radio show and podcast “Under the Influence” just launched its 20th season. Show host and creator Terry O'Reilly joins Tom Power for a career chat about his early days as an ad man, his experience working with some of the biggest brands and celebrities of our time, and how he pitched a show about advertising to a network with no advertising.

Feb 05, 202529 min

Ins Choi: The Kim’s Convenience creator on his unlikely life in the arts

The Canadian actor and playwright Ins Choi is best known as the creator of “Kim’s Convenience,” which started as a play in 2011 before it became a hit sitcom in 2016. This month, “Kim’s Convenience” is back at Toronto’s Soulpepper Theatre Company where it was first professionally staged in 2012. Ins sits down with Tom Power to talk about the ups and downs of adapting “Kim’s Convenience” for TV, the role that faith has played in his life, and what it’s like stepping into the part of Appa in this ...

Feb 04, 202549 min

Gavin Rossdale: Bush’s early days & what he thinks when he hears Glycerine

For a time in the ‘90s, there was no band on earth bigger than Bush. Their debut album, “Sixteen Stone,” had singles that were in heavy rotation on MuchMusic, MTV and every rock radio station. That record also turned singer Gavin Rossdale into a star. Ahead of Bush’s cross-Canada tour this spring, Gavin joins Tom Power to look back on the band’s early days, what it was like breaking out of Britain when they didn’t sound like the Britpop bands of the time, and what goes through his mind when he h...

Feb 03, 202523 min

Mikey Madison: Anora and her strikingly nuanced portrayal of sex work

Mikey Madison is up for an Oscar for her role in Sean Baker’s Palme d'Or-winning film “Anora.” The story follows a sex worker from Brooklyn who meets and marries the son of a Russian oligarch. But their fairytale romance is threatened after news of their shotgun wedding reaches his parents in Russia. A few months ago, Mikey sat down with Tom Power to talk about her deep research and preparation for the role, why she feels protective of her character, and how the film changed her life.

Feb 03, 202522 min

Quick Q: Sechile Sedare on forming their brother-sister musical duo

When you were growing up, did you get along with your sibling? Did your parents want you to get along better than you did? When Leela and Jay Gilday were growing up in Northwest Territories, their dad wanted them to sing together more, but it wasn’t until decades later that they did. Leela and Jay both have distinguished music careers on their own, but more recently, they’ve come together as the contemporary roots duo Sechile Sedare (“my younger brother, my older sister” in Dene). They join Tom ...

Jan 31, 202515 min

Sook-Yin Lee: Why she adapted her ex’s memoir about paying for sex

In Sook-Yin Lee’s new film, “Paying For It,” a couple whose romantic attraction is waning decide to open up their relationship. While Sonny explores dating, her introverted boyfriend, Chester, opts to hire sex workers. The story is based on Sook-Yin’s real-life former relationship with Canadian cartoonist Chester Brown, who released a bestselling graphic memoir of the same name in 2011. It reflects on intimacy, connection, the rights of sex workers, the boundaries we put around relationships, an...

Jan 30, 202525 min

Denis Villeneuve: His vision for Dune 2 and how the film reflects real-world issues

Denis Villeneuve’s massive sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two” is up for best picture at the Oscars this year. Last year, around the film’s Canadian premiere, the Quebecois filmmaker joined Tom Power to discuss his vision for the second installment, the challenges of shooting in the intense heat of the desert, and how politics and religion in Quebec play into the film more than you might think.

Jan 30, 202524 min