Q with Tom Power CBC Arts & Entertainment

Noah Kahan is one of the most successful singer-songwriters in the world right now, but it wasn’t that long ago that he was writing his latest album, “Stick Season,” while isolated on a Vermont farm during the peak of the pandemic. Now, he’s considered the next big thing in music. Noah joins Tom in studio for a conversation about writing the album that would change his life, the power of tapping into his authentic self, and how he’s protected his mental health while on this crazy ride. 

The Summer Olympics in Paris kick off today and right before the opening ceremonies, viewers will be treated to a spoken word piece written by Ontario’s first poet laureate, Randell Adjei. He sits down with Tom in studio to talk about collaborating on the piece with former three-time Olympian Phylicia George, and shares the lessons he thinks everyone can learn from Olympians — even if you plan on spending the summer on your couch.

Chromeo’s Dave 1 and P-Thugg started out as high school best friends making weird music in Montreal basements 20 years ago. They never could have guessed that their interest in electro-funk and ‘80s synths would take them to festival stages and earn them a Grammy nod along the way. Chromeo drops by to chat with Tom about their new album, “Adult Contemporary,” which poses the question: what does it mean to be funky as you approach middle age?

Ian Harnarine is an award-winning Canadian filmmaker who found inspiration for his debut feature film, “Doubles,” in the delicious Trinidadian snack of the same name. The story follows an estranged father and son who are brought back together by difficult circumstances. Ian joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about drawing on his own experiences with his father to make the film, how it challenges clichés about the experience of immigrating to Canada, and what it was like getting Spike Lee’s hand-written notes as a film student at NYU.

Brittany Howard’s new album “What Now” is her second solo release since taking a hiatus with her band Alabama Shakes. Now more than ever, the singer-songwriter is exploring the potential of her famous raspy voice by pairing it with surprisingly poppy songs about love and heartbreak. Brittany sits down with Tom to talk about the record and finding the courage to step into new musical territory.

After finding Martha Baillie’s Giller Prize-shortlisted novel “The Incident Report” in a Toronto bookstore, Naomi Jaye knew almost instantly that she wanted to adapt it into a film. Now, 14 years later, the award-winning Canadian filmmaker has released her sophomore feature, “Darkest Miriam,” which follows a librarian living through a fog of grief while working in a downtown Toronto Public Library branch. Naomi joins guest host Talia Schlanger to tell us more about the film.