194 episodes

Five days a week acclaimed interviewer Tom Power sits down with the artists, writers, actors and musicians who define pop culture. Whether he’s ribbing Adele, singing a boyband 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 and Billie Eilish — who appeared on Q well before hitting the mainstream. Hear your favourite artists as they truly are, every weekday with Tom Power.

Q with Tom Power CBC Arts & Entertainment

    • Arts
    • 4.5 • 1K Ratings

Five days a week acclaimed interviewer Tom Power sits down with the artists, writers, actors and musicians who define pop culture. Whether he’s ribbing Adele, singing a boyband 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 and Billie Eilish — who appeared on Q well before hitting the mainstream. Hear your favourite artists as they truly are, every weekday with Tom Power.

    How Es Devlin creates concert spectacles on stage + DJ Karaba on how giving up on one dream can open the door to another

    How Es Devlin creates concert spectacles on stage + DJ Karaba on how giving up on one dream can open the door to another

    When Es Devlin was growing up and going to concerts, and looked at the stage, she saw an opportunity for improvement. It’s that very aspiration to make concerts look better that’s lef her to a groundbreaking career in set design, working with the likes of Adele, Beyoncé, and The Rolling Stones. Ed joins Tom to talk about the music that inspired her artistic direction, how experiencing art is multi-sensory, and what it was like designing the set for the 2022 Super Bowl halftime show. 

    Plus, DJ Karaba walked away from her lifelong dream at the height of her success —she was a backup dancer for artists like Drake, Selena Gomez, and Camilla Cabello. Now, DJ Karaba is pursuing a new dream, making music of her own. DJ Karaba tells Tom about her new Juno nominated song Mad Mess, how her experience as a dancer helps her create dance music, and how she found the courage to start anew in her creative career.

    • 51 min
    Michael Keaton: Knox Goes Away, getting Al Pacino to star in his film, and what Mister Rogers was really like

    Michael Keaton: Knox Goes Away, getting Al Pacino to star in his film, and what Mister Rogers was really like

    From Batman to Beetlejuice, Michael Keaton has played iconic roles for four decades. He talks to Tom about directing his new film, “Knox Goes Away,” what he’s learned from working with directors Tim Burton and Steven Soderbergh,  and what it was like working on Mister Rogers Neighborhood early in his career.

    • 18 min
    Cody Lightning: From being a child actor in Smoke Signals to making a spinoff mockumentary about it

    Cody Lightning: From being a child actor in Smoke Signals to making a spinoff mockumentary about it

    25 years after playing “little Victor” in the cult classic 1998 film Smoke Signals, Cody Lightning is all grown up and back with his mockumentary, “Hey Viktor!” which follows a fictionalized version of himself trying to make Smoke Signals 2. Cody joins Tom from Edmonton, Alberta where the movie was shot to talk about making gritty Indigenous comedy, how his idea for the film began as a joke, and how he looks back on growing up as a child actor.

    • 22 min
    Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan: Merry and Pippin, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and their decades-long friendship

    Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan: Merry and Pippin, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, and their decades-long friendship

    Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan are a creative duo like few others. Their bond formed on the set of “The Lord of the Rings” as two Hobbits, Merry and Pippin, whose on-screen chemistry closely mirrored their real-life friendship. Now, Billy and Dominic are playing another iconic duo in a new production of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.” They drop by to chat with Tom about the play and their decades-long friendship.

    • 29 min
    Hip-Hop Week: Maestro Fresh Wes, the godfather of Canadian hip-hop

    Hip-Hop Week: Maestro Fresh Wes, the godfather of Canadian hip-hop

    This month marks the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, and you can’t begin to talk about that history without talking about the artist Maestro Fresh Wes. Maestro tells Tom about his journey from writing rhymes at Scarborough’s Parkway Mall to releasing the first hit Canadian hip-hop record.

    • 38 min
    Maestro Fresh Wes: His journey to becoming the godfather of Canadian hip-hop

    Maestro Fresh Wes: His journey to becoming the godfather of Canadian hip-hop

    You can’t begin to talk about the history of hip-hop without talking about Maestro Fresh Wes. Dubbed the godfather of Canadian hip-hop, Maestro became widely known in 1989 for his debut single, “Let Your Backbone Slide,” which was a game-changer for Canadian music. He joins Tom to take us through his journey from writing rhymes at Scarborough’s Parkway Mall to releasing the first hit Canadian hip-hop record.

    • 16 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
1K Ratings

1K Ratings

cjmTO ,

Alanis interview

Great interview with Alanis. The musical is misnamed multiple times in the intro — it’s called Jagged Little Pill, not You Outta Know.

Buggo's low ,

Great culture show

Always a pleasure. I learn so much and Tom Power is a relatable and skilled host. Highly recommended!

Still learning to fly ,

Tom and Nikki

I just listened to Tom’s conversation with Nikki Giovani. The word “interview” always falls short when describing Tom’s work. Tom is able it identify and land on the artists’ best, most profound examples of what makes us human. Nikki’s words about being talented and lonely struck a deep chord with me, personally and professionally. I am a therapist and this is the universal longing we all have; to find people who see the gifts we know we have and who have the “same kind of lonely”.
These conversations nourish the parts of me that get weak from my work and the world. Thank you Tom.

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