Q with Tom Power - podcast cover

Q with Tom Power

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.

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Episodes

Haviah Mighty is feeling lucky

The award-winning Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty is known for writing songs that tackle heavy subjects like racism, power dynamics and equality. But now, Haviah is entering a new era — one that’s focused on positivity and good vibes. She joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about her new chapter and her latest single, “Lucky.”

Aug 20, 202514 min

Sarah Harmer uses her voice for something bigger than music

For more than 35 years, Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah Harmer has used her voice to make award-winning, critically acclaimed music — but that’s not all. She’s also been a vocal advocate for important environmental and humanitarian causes, both in this country and abroad. At the Juno Awards in Vancouver earlier this year, Sarah was honoured with the Humanitarian Award, and now she’s a recipient of a key to the city for her hometown of Burlington, Ont. Back in May, she joined Tom Power for a car...

Aug 19, 202549 min

Rick Astley doesn’t have an attitude about Rickrolling — anymore

In the 1980s, Rick Astley became a global superstar with hits like “Never Gonna Give You Up” and “Together Forever.” But then, at age 27, he quit the business. That could have been the end of the story, but then the Rickroll meme of the mid-2000s brought him back to the world’s attention. In his memoir, “Never,” Rick opens up about his strange and incredible life. He joins Tom Power to share some of those stories.

Aug 18, 202535 min

Ribbon Skirt found inspiration in renewing her antiquated “Indian” status card

The Montreal band Ribbon Skirt released their debut album, “Bite Down” earlier this year. Now, it’s on the Polaris Prize short list. Lead singer Tashiina Buswa joins Tom Power to tell us how the record was inspired by grief and reconnecting with her Indigeneity, how her first exposure to music was in the church, and the difference between knowing you’re free and actually feeling free. Plus, she tells the story behind her song, “Off Rez.”

Aug 18, 202514 min

Maggie Kang didn't know a movie could be as popular as KPop Demon Hunters

K-Pop is one of the biggest musical genres around the world right now, but KPop Demon Hunters director Maggie Kang has been into it long before it was cool. Now, her movie isn’t just one of the biggest films of the summer – its music also charted near the top of the Billboard Global 200. Maggie Kang speaks with Q guest host Gill Deacon about making female characters who aren’t afraid to be goofy, what she learned from working at DreamWorks, and how the song “Golden” from the KPop Demon Hunters s...

Aug 15, 202523 min

Tiny Horse didn’t mean to become a band

Kingston, Ontario has long been a hotbed for up-and-coming bands. Now indie-rock outfit Tiny Horse is making their mark. Ciara Roberts and Rae Corcoran, two of the four bandmates, join guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about how they unexpectedly found themselves writing songs together, how they see the recording studio as an instrument, and the inspiration behind their new single “Islands.”

Aug 15, 202514 min

TOBi knows you have to be vulnerable to tap into your strength

After working as a youth counsellor, Canadian rapper TOBi has continued to uplift people through his motivational lyrics. Now, TOBi is releasing his new album Elements No. 2, which has been five years in the making. Q guest host Garvia Bailey talks to TOBi about how he learned to be vulnerable in his songwriting, why he writes for Black boys just like him, and how his work with social services influenced his worldview.

Aug 14, 202530 min

Bob Dylan couldn’t have written Ada Lea’s new single

Singer-songwriter Ada Lea needed a break from music: she was physically exhausted from tour, and she was mentally stuck in a circle of overcriticizing her own songs. But after taking some time off, she’s found a multitude of paths to rekindle her creativity. Ada Lea tells guest host Gill Deacon about her new single “Bob Dylan’s 115th Haircut”, her songwriting community, and why she feels like the goal of the music industry is at odds with the goal of the artist.

Aug 14, 202511 min

Fortune Feimster uses standup as therapy

Fortune Feimster’s Netflix comedy special, “Crushing It,” dives into stories from her life, like being her mother’s stand-in husband and going from a shy kid to a funny kid. This summer, she was honoured at the Just For Laughs comedy festival for her work on the Handsome Podcast with fellow comedians Tig Notaro and Mae Martin. Tom Power spoke with Fortune about her Netflix special, how her family taught her to laugh through trauma, and the moment she realized she wanted to be a comedian.

Aug 13, 202530 min

How 5 solo artists came together to create the self-produced girl group NADUH

It’s been decades since girl groups ran the music industry, but the Vancouver-based hip-hop R&B group NADUH thinks it’s time for them to have a renaissance. Since the release of their debut EP, NADUH has been self-producing their own music, and touring non-stop. Larisa Marie and Taraneh from NADUH spoke with Q guest host Garvia Bailey about how the group came together, how they write as a collective, and their new single ‘redlight’.

Aug 13, 202513 min

How Mustafa kept his faith through devastating loss

A few years ago, Mustafa released his critically acclaimed EP, “When Smoke Rises,” which chronicled the deaths of loved ones from his community of Regent Park in Toronto. So when he sat down to write his debut album, “Dunya,” the Juno-winning musician and poet wanted to explore other things, like love, faith and his relationship with God. Then his older brother died. Mustafa sits down with Tom Power for a wide-ranging conversation about his latest album, the devastating loss of his brother and w...

Aug 12, 202541 min

Washington Black explores joy as a form of resistance

It’s not easy to adapt a classic of contemporary literature into an epic TV series, but that’s exactly what Selwyn Seyfu Hinds has done with “Washington Black,” the Booker Prize-shortlisted novel by Canadian author Esi Edugyan. Set in a steampunk reimagining of the 19th century, the story follows a young boy named George Washington Black who is born on a Barbados sugar plantation. His globetrotting travels take him on a journey around the world, including Virginia, Halifax, and even the Arctic. ...

Aug 11, 202524 min

LU KALA is the next big Canadian pop star

With viral hits like “Pretty Girl Era,” LU KALA has proven that she might just be the next big Canadian breakthrough artist à la Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepsen or The Weeknd. Her catchy songs about loving yourself and knowing your worth have amassed millions of streams all over the internet. Back in May, on the heels of her new EP, “No Tears On This Ride,” LU joined Tom Power to tell us her story, how she became more confident after being bullied as a kid, and what it felt like to see Serena Wi...

Aug 11, 202524 min

The high stakes of reimagining Anne of Green Gables

Kat Sandler is an award-winning Canadian playwright, screenwriter and director who’s known for her way with words and her wild imagination. She was just a kid when she fell in love with the story of “Anne of Green Gables,” so it was a dream come true when the Stratford Festival — one of the most renowned theatre festivals in North America — asked her to reimagine the story for their 2025 program. Kat joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about her acclaimed adaptation of this beloved Canadian s...

Aug 08, 202525 min

Kristin Scott Thomas made a movie inspired by memories of her dads

When Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient) was six years old, her father, a Royal Navy pilot, died in service. Then her mother remarried another Royal Navy pilot, who also died in service when she was 11. Now, the Oscar-nominated British actor is playing a character inspired by her twice-widowed mother in a new film called “My Mother's Wedding.” It’s also Kristin's directorial debut. She joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the film, the unreliability of...

Aug 08, 202517 min

d'bi.young anitafrika on 20 years of The Sankofa Trilogy

d'bi.young anitafrika knows that it takes a lot of nurturing and mentorship to become an artist of any kind. They credit their mom, the pioneering dub poet Anita Stewart, with inspiring their passion for storytelling. Now, d’bi is celebrating a major milestone as a playwright, performer and director. Their “Sankofa Trilogy” is in its 20th year. The three solo plays of the trilogy follow three generations of Jamaican women from their experiences of growing up to motherhood. Ahead of the anniversa...

Aug 07, 202530 min

Why Dana Sipos wrote a love song to her friends

Acclaimed Canadian folk singer-songwriter Dana Sipos just dropped a new love song devoted to her friends. It’s called “Soft Feeling” and it’s her first new music since 2021. Dana joins guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us what inspired the track and why we need more love songs that celebrate the intimacy of friendship.

Aug 07, 202514 min

Honey Jam founder Ebonnie Rowe walks it like she talks it

Ebonnie Rowe is a champion for Canadian women in music. As the founder of Honey Jam — Canada’s first artist development program for female musicians — she’s helped launch the careers of Nelly Furtado, Jully Black, Haviah Mighty and more. Ebonnie joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about being appointed to the Order of Canada and creating a “neverending sisterhood.”

Aug 06, 202523 min

Anjulie’s pop star dream had to die so she could start again

About a decade ago, Anjulie found huge success writing catchy pop songs that were all over Canadian radio and MuchMusic. She won a Juno Award, she was writing songs for the likes of Lady Gaga and Kelly Clarkson, and there was a bidding war between some of the biggest labels in the world who were desperate to sign her. But then, at the height of her success, Anjulie walked away from music to focus on healing some internal wounds she’d been avoiding. Now, she’s re-emerged as a more centered versio...

Aug 06, 202526 min

How BAMBII went from DJing to producing her own music

The Toronto-based DJ and producer BAMBII melds electronic music with her Caribbean roots — but the path to making her own songs hasn’t been clear cut. First, she started her own rave series as a way of getting better at DJing while also hearing the music she wanted to dance to. From there, she learned how to produce her own music. In 2023, she released her debut EP, "Infinity Club,” which won electronic album of the year at the 2024 Juno Awards. Now, she’s back with her follow-up, “Infinity Club...

Aug 05, 202524 min

Devon Healey wants to leave you with “a little speck of blindness”

Tired of her blindness being seen as tragedy, Toronto theatre maker Devon Healey designed an immersive stage show to take audiences into her experience. The production, “Rainbow on Mars,” is based on her own journey into blindness at age 21, and it features a cast of performers with varying levels of vision. Devon sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about reframing blindness as an invitation to relate to each other more intimately, and to become more comfortable with uncertainty and ...

Aug 05, 202527 min

Severance stars Tramell Tillman and Zach Cherry

The hit series “Severance” managed to knock “Ted Lasso” out of its place as the most-watched show on Apple TV+. That’s partly due to its unique premise, which explores a nightmarish experiment to enforce work-life balance by splitting a person’s consciousness into two. There’s the you that goes into work (your “innie”) and the you that lives outside of work (your “outie”). A few months ago, actors Tramell Tillman and Zach Cherry — also known as their characters Mr. Milchick and Dylan G. — sat do...

Aug 04, 202533 min

How a chance encounter at a truck stop got AHI into songwriting

You never know who you might meet at a Canadian gas station. Back in March, AHI sat down with Tom Power to tell us how a chance encounter at a truck stop in Thunder Bay inspired him to pursue music full-time. He also sets up a song off his new album, “The Light Behind the Sun.”

Aug 04, 202517 min

After winning the Polaris Prize, Debby Friday bet on herself

Back in 2023, Debby Friday won the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for her debut album, “Good Luck.” When she sat down to write her next record, it would’ve been easy to stick with what worked the first time, but instead, Debby made a conscious decision to do things differently. The result is her most ambitious album yet, “The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life.” From dance floor bangers to intimate ballads, Debby joins Tom Power to take us inside the emotional and artistic journey behind her new recor...

Aug 01, 202523 min

Shook is sort of like a Toronto version of Good Will Hunting

Amar Wala is a Canadian film director and writer whose debut film, “Shook,” follows a South Asian man named Ash who’s navigating issues of love, family and identity in the Toronto suburb of Scarborough. Amar joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the challenges of transitioning from documentary to narrative film, the personal parallels between the main character’s journey and his own, and why the racially-diverse and economically-challenged Scarborough is such a fantastic setting for a fil...

Aug 01, 202521 min

Abraham Anghik Ruben preserves his life and culture through sculpture

Abraham Anghik Ruben is a world-renowned sculptor who’s been creating groundbreaking and genre-defining work for the last five decades. The Inuk artist is best known for his multidimensional sculptures, which he carves out of stone, ivory, bronze and bone, but more recently, he’s also taken up painting. With an ongoing solo show at the Winnipeg Art Gallery-Qaumajuq, Abraham joins guest host Garvia Bailey to look back on 50 years of creativity. Plus, he shares what needs to happen to ensure that ...

Jul 31, 202534 min

How an edible changed Charlie Houston’s life and career

When Canadian musician Charlie Houston was a student at NYU a few years ago, she took a weed 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. Earlier this year, Charlie released her debut album, “Big After I Die,” which explores the precarious and often surreal experience of transitioning between phases of life. She sat down with Tom Power to tell us the story of the edible that changed her life and ho...

Jul 31, 202513 min

Prabal Gurung explains why Kamala Harris’s pockets matter

World-renowned fashion designer Prabal Gurung grew up in a turbulent household, with an abusive father at home and bullies at school who teased him for being too feminine. It was only when he moved to New York City to work with designers like Donna Karan and Cynthia Rowley that Prabal began to embrace the things that made him different. His new memoir, “Walk Like a Girl,” is a tribute to the women who made him the fashion designer he is today, from Anna Wintour, who championed his work, to longt...

Jul 30, 202531 min

Cate Blanchett forgot the sound of her real voice

Cate Blanchett (Elizabeth, The Aviator, Tár) is one of the most respected actors of our time. She's an on-screen chameleon who transforms into whatever role she plays, taking on whatever accent is required of her — so much so that she says it’s easy to forget what she actually sounds like. At last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Cate sat down with Tom Power for a thoughtful conversation about two of her most recent projects (the unique political satire “Rumours” and the psychological...

Jul 30, 202512 min

Heather and Arizona O'Neill find a bit of magic on the Montreal Metro

Heather and Arizona O'Neill are more than just mother and daughter — they're creative partners, storytellers and travel companions. Their latest collaboration, a novel called “Valentine in Montreal,” is already an instant bestseller. Heather wrote the book, which was first published in weekly installments in the Montreal Gazette, and Arizona illustrated it. The mother-daughter duo join Tom Power to tell us what it's like working together and why the Montreal subway system plays a special role in...

Jul 29, 202527 min
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