Q with Tom Power

By CBCSociety & Culture

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Q with Tom Power episodes

May 31, 2023 Belly on writing some of the biggest hits of the decade and why this might be his last album
If you know songs like “Blinding Lights” or “Earned It” by The Weeknd, you’re already familiar with Canadian rapper and producer Belly. He’s been making music for almost two decades, and in that time he’s earned a Juno Award, SOCAN songwriter of the year, Grammy nominations and an Oscar nod. Now, Belly’s out with a new album, “Mumble Rap 2.”
Belly tells Tom about what it was like growing up in the Ottawa rap scene, his friendship with Jay-Z, the personal stories he writes about on his new album, and how he knew from the start that The Weeknd would make it big.
26 min
May 31, 2023 Why Mary Harron is drawn to the psychologically extreme + Bye Parula on their song “Still Got The Spirit”
Filmmaker Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol, Charlie Says) talks to Tom about her latest film, “Daliland,” the difficulty of getting to know who Salvador Dali was, and how filmmaking is about knowing what you want.
Plus, The band Bye Parula tells Tom the story behind “Still Got The Spirit,” which just so happens to be Q’s theme song.
29 min
May 30, 2023 Jacob Tremblay on child stardom, The Little Mermaid and Justin Bieber
As a child actor, Jacob Tremblay became known for punching above his age in mature films like “Room,” “Wonder” and “Good Boys.” Now, at 16 years old, he gets to revisit a classic children’s movie in Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid. Jacob tells Tom about his very first audition, how he looks back on starring in films with mature subject matter, and what it’s like voicing Flounder in The Little Mermaid remake.
24 min
May 30, 2023 Phil Dunster talks Ted Lasso and the evolution of soccer star Jamie Tartt
The TV show “Ted Lasso” has seen many of its characters evolve over its three seasons, but perhaps none quite like the soccer star Jamie Tartt, played by Phil Dunster. Phil joins guest host Talia Schalnger to talk about how the show explores the male ego, what his portrayal of Jamie has taught him as an actor, and what you can expect from the season finale.
21 min
May 29, 2023 Why Owen Pallett's biggest regret is making a career out of music
Owen Pallett is a multi-talented violinist who has worked alongside greats like Taylor Swift, Duran Duran and Ed Sheeran. Just as they’ve released a collection of deluxe remastered editions of their early work, Owen tells Tom about how breaking their leg led to a transformative experience, what it felt like to be at one of the lowest and most desperate times in their life, and why their biggest regret is making a career from something they love.
36 min
May 29, 2023 Emma Grove on bad therapists, dissociative identity disorder and her new graphic memoir The Third Person
In her graphic memoir “The Third Person,” Emma Grove documents the therapy sessions that she underwent to be approved for hormone therapy as a trans person. She tells Tom about the life-changing discovery that came from the experience, what made re-visiting these traumatic memories worth it and how she turned her story into a book that's now a Lambda Literary Award finalist.
18 min
May 26, 2023 How Zoon’s latest album allowed them to grieve + Remembering Daniel Brooks
The last couple of years have been pretty exciting for Zoon, aka Daniel Monkman. Daniel had two different albums shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize, and they got to tour and open for Broken Social Scene. Daniel tells Tom about playing with Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), how their new album felt like a chance to grieve the passing of their father, and the story behind their song “Dodem” from their new album “Bekka Ma'iingan.”
Plus, Daniel Brooks, the renowned Canadian theater director, has died at 64. We revisit his and Tom’s conversation.
19 min
May 26, 2023 ‘It's all performance art’: a conversation with k.d. lang
k.d. lang (Constant Craving, Miss Chatelaine) has spent decades upending expectations and defying attempts to define her music. Now, as she prepares to receive the Governor General's Performing Arts Award for lifetime artistic achievement, she looks back on her career — from award show mischief to taking big risks in the name of artistic integrity. k.d. lang tells Tom about the first time she realized her voice was something special, a cherished memory with Roy Orbison, and how she feels about potentially never making another record again.
33 min
May 25, 2023 Sarah Goldberg on the final season of Barry and her new show SisterS
Emmy-nominated actor Sarah Goldberg stars as Sally in HBO’s dark comedy, “Barry.” Now, just as the series wraps up its fourth and final season, Sarah joins Tom Power to talk about what she’s loved about playing Sally, her incredible audition story — which includes a lovely interaction with Henry Winkler — and creating her new show, “SisterS.”
25 min
May 25, 2023 Witch Prophet’s rare form of epilepsy and why she wrote an album about it
Ayo Leilani, AKA Witch Prophet, opens up about her experience with epilepsy on her latest record, “Gateway Experience.”
Witch Prophet tells Tom about what it feels like to have Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and how writing about her experience helped her cope with her fear of death.
20 min

About Q with Tom Power

From the publisher's feed

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.