Q with Tom Power

Award-winning composer Max Richter is arguably the most streamed classical artist in the world. His scores feature in acclaimed films like “Arrival”, “Ad Astra”, “Shutter Island,” and popular series such as “Black Mirror,” “Bridgerton” and “The Leftovers.” Currently on his first world tour, Max drops by our studio to talk with Tom Power about his acclaimed career and how he confronts today's polarized world through music that has no words.

In his latest series, “Southern Lights,” photographer Finn O'Hara shows how some of Canada’s most cherished and iconic natural landscapes are under threat of development. He sits down with guest host Gill Deacon to tell us what we risk losing as Canada’s wilderness disappears, why he used night club lasers to capture his photos, and how his connection with nature helped shape his passion for photography.

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, The Weeknd or Shawn Mendes. Her catchy songs about loving yourself and knowing your worth have amassed millions of streams all over the internet. On the heels of her brand new EP, “No Tears On This Ride,” LU sits down with Tom Power in our studio to tell us her story, how she became more confident after being bullied as a kid, and what it felt like to see Serena Williams and her daughter lip sync to her music.

For Mike Drucker, getting a Nintendo at three years old truly changed the course of his life. Since then, the Emmy-nominated writer and comedian has built an entire career influenced by video games. In his new memoir, “Good Game, No Rematch: A Life Made of Video Games,” Mike details how some of his most defining experiences were either accompanied or caused by video games. He joins Tom Power to share some of those stories, from showing the cast of “Saturday Night Live” how to play the Wii when he was an intern, to working at Nintendo, to bonding with Jimmy Fallon over video games before eventually joining the show as a writer

For more than 60 years, Canadian rock and roll legend Randy Bachman has been takin’ care of business and working overtime. He co-founded not one but two of the most successful rock bands to come out of this country: The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive. Randy sits down with Tom Power to look back on his incredible life in music, from leaving The Guess Who at the height of their success, to Neil Young helping him start his new band, all the way up to his new BTO single, which looks back at Winnipeg — the city that he says gave him everything.

Bria Salmena is a Canadian musician who originally rose to prominence as the frontwoman of the post-punk band FRIGS before joining Orville Peck's touring band. Now, she’s released her debut solo album, “Big Dog.” One of its most powerful tracks, “Rags,” is a raw anthem about rage, shame and shedding the need to accommodate others. Bria joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the track and how it helped her reclaim her voice after moving to Los Angeles — a city that made her feel like she was in high school again.

Young punk upstarts PUP aren’t so young anymore. In fact, the band that singlehandedly brought punk rock back to Canada in a big way is probably getting too old to mosh. On their fifth and latest record, “Who Will Look After The Dogs?” lead singer Stefan Babcock reflects on his evolution as a songwriter and getting older. He joins Tom Power in our studio to discuss the new album, his writing process and why he can’t take a compliment. If you enjoy this conversation, check out Tom’s chat with Densil McFarlane of The OBGMs.

Tunde Adebimpe made a name for himself fronting the art rock band TV on the Radio. Now, he’s released his first solo album, “Thee Black Boltz.” Tunde joins Tom Power to talk about making music without his long-time band, the spirit of rebellion that runs through his new record, and how an album that’s born out of some pretty tough stuff ended up sounding so dancey. Plus, he shares a pretty deep philosophical take on what punk rock has in common with Calvin and Hobbes.

On her new album, “Forever Is a Feeling,” Lucy Dacus sets the record straight on what love is — and isn’t. The singer-songwriter sits down with Tom Power to tell us what she thinks is missing in modern love songs, what she’s learned about love (spoiler alert: she's still searching for answers), and how she feels about the end of her Grammy-winning supergroup boygenius. If you like this conversation, you’ll probably also enjoy Tom’s chat with Phoebe Bridgers.

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 why Toronto no longer feels safe for him.

When Nick Cave was in his early band The Birthday Party, he was angry and antagonistic toward his audience. The legendary Australian musician, writer and actor eventually grew out of his youthful contempt, but he remained consumed by his work, always putting it first before anything else. Then he lost two of his sons. In this wide-ranging conversation about grief, ambition, God and Johnny Cash, Nick tells Tom Power how he was forever transformed by his experience of unimaginable loss. He also discusses his new Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds album, “Wild God,” and the mysterious origins of his songwriting.

When the Canadian indie rock band Casper Skulls got their start about 10 years ago, things were a little different. Firstly, band members Melanie St-Pierre-Bednis and Neil Bednis weren’t married at the time, and now they’re husband and wife. Secondly, they hadn’t moved back to their hometown of Sudbury, Ont., and they didn’t have a baby yet. Melanie and Neil join Tom Power to talk about making their latest album, “Kit-Cat,” through those major life changes — and why it might be their best record yet.

The Canadian singer-songwriter Lights grew up in a missionary family in Timmins, Ont., believing that her musical ability was both a gift and a responsibility. Some of her earliest work was Christian music. When Lights was just a teenager, she started posting her songs on Myspace, which ultimately set her career into motion. But during that time, she also started questioning her faith. Lights joins Tom Power to talk about the healing she did to sever her ties with religion, plus, her new album, “A6,” which was inspired by the sights and sounds of Berlin. If you like this conversation, check out Tom’s interview with deadmau5 from last year.

Twenty years ago, Dallas Green and his band Alexisonfire were making post-hardcore music when Dallas decided to release a soft acoustic album under the name City and Colour. It was a big risk, but that debut solo album, “Sometimes,” went on to receive critical acclaim and a Juno Award. It was also the catalyst for Dallas to start his own independent record label, Dine Alone Records. On the 20th anniversary of “Sometimes,” Dallas sits down with Tom Power to share the real story behind the album.

The actor and musician Joe Keery, also known as Djo, is best known for playing Steve Harrington on the hit Netflix show “Stranger Things.” But after his song “End of Beginning” went viral on TikTok last year, a huge spotlight was shone on his music. Joe sits down with Tom Power to talk about his new album, “The Crux,” and his breakthrough role in “Stranger Things.”

On her latest record, “Conditions of Love Vol. 1,” Rose Cousins digs into all the complicated feelings that come with love, from falling in love, to keeping the romance going, to maintaining friendships. It also finds the Canadian singer-songwriter reuniting with one of her most important companions: the piano. Rose sits down with Tom Power to talk about the album and her song “K’s Waltz,” which is an ode to a close friend she lost. 

Bob Martin is a Canadian actor and writer who first made his name working in Canadian TV, but now he’s one of Broadway’s most in-demand playwrights. How in demand? Well, two of his new musicals (“Boop!” and “Smash”) recently premiered on Broadway in the same week. Bob joins Tom Power to discuss that achievement and his Tony Award-winning career. In case you missed it, you might also enjoy Tom’s recent chat with Canadian composer and playwright Britta Johnson on her new musical, “Life After.”

The longest poem ever written is a 4,000-year-old Sanskrit epic called the “Mahabharata,” which clocks in at roughly 1.8 million words. But the poem’s daunting length didn’t stop Toronto’s Why Not Theatre from adapting it into a large-scale play of the same name. Miriam Fernandes, the co-creator and star of the show, joins Tom Power to tell us exactly what it took to bring this ancient Sanskrit epic to the stage. If you’re looking for more conversations about Canadian theatre, check out Tom’s interview with actor and playwright Anusree Roy.

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 receiving a key to the city for her hometown of Burlington, Ont. In this career-spanning conversation with Tom Power, Sarah talks about her early days making music with The Saddletramps and Weeping Tile, going solo, and why she’s so passionate about protecting the land she grew up on. If you enjoy this conversation, check out Tom’s chat with The Weather Station.

Arkells frontman Max Kerman is taking back the term “try hard” with his first book, “Try Hard: Creative Work in Progress.” It peels back the curtain on the band’s creative process, offering a framework for how to bring more creativity into your life, but it’s also a defence of striving and wanting to be a better artist. In this conversation with Tom Power, Max dispels some of the myths about what you need to make it in music. He also shares a few stories from the band’s history and tells us why Bruce Springsteen is such a big influence on him.

On Bells Larsen’s stunning new album, “Blurring Time,” the Canadian singer-songwriter has an unlikely collaborator — himself. Bells is a trans man and he first recorded the album in his pre-transition voice with the intent of revisiting the songs after he started hormone therapy. The result is a unique self-collaboration, in which he harmonizes with himself. Bells sits down with Tom Power to talk about the new album and having to cancel his U.S. tour. If you like this conversation, take a listen to Tom’s chat with singer-songwriter T. Thomason.

In “Andor” — the latest series in the “Star Wars” franchise — actor Stellan Skarsgård (Dune, Nymphomaniac, Mamma Mia!) plays Luthen Rael, a charming but ruthless rebel leader who fronts as an antiques dealer. Stellan sits down with Tom Power to talk about the new season of “Andor” and why he’s drawn to morally complex characters. Plus, he shares a beautiful story about his time working with Robin Williams in Toronto on “Good Will Hunting.” If you enjoy this conversation, check out Tom’s 2023 interview with Stellan’s son, Alexander Skarsgård.

Ambur Braid is a Canadian soprano who’s taken on some of the most coveted roles in opera. But it wasn’t until she saw Alban Berg’s “Wozzeck” as an undergraduate student that she knew opera would be her life. Now, Ambur is playing Marie in a new production of “Wozzeck” at the Canadian Opera Company. She sits down with Tom Power to talk about this full circle moment and her passion for classical music. Looking for more conversations about opera? Check out Tom’s interview with composer John Adams on the role of opera in tackling contemporary issues.

About a decade ago, Anjulie had 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 her music career to focus on healing some internal wounds she’d been avoiding. Now, she’s re-emerged as a more centered version of herself — and with that comes a new sound and a hit single. Anjulie sits down with Tom Power to share her story. If you like this conversation, take a listen to Tom’s chat with pop singer JoJo on her experience as a child star.

Laura Reznek is a British Columbia-born musician and singer-songwriter who’s just released her new album, “The Sewing Room.” She made the record to help her process a family tragedy: her father’s death by suicide. Laura joins Tom Power to set up her song “Endeavours,” which explores her experience with grief.

When Bob the Drag Queen landed his debut book deal, his publisher asked him if he wanted to write a memoir — but he had something different in mind. The drag superstar’s new book, “Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert,” imagines the famed abolitionist in the present day as she sets out to make a hip-hop album. Bob joins Tom Power to talk about his new chapter as a New York Times bestselling author, the endless self-confidence that won him “RuPaul's Drag Race,” and why he wants you to stop asking him to read you. If you like this conversation, check out Tom’s interviews with Sasha Velour or Jimbo.

In her latest poetry collection, “Wellwater,” the Canadian poet Karen Solie takes a hard look at climate grief and economic anxiety. Her opening poem, “Basement Suite,” was inspired by short-term rentals and precarious living arrangements. But for Karen, the role of poetry isn’t about finding the answers to big questions — it's about honouring our curiosity with the hope that we can eventually find new ways forward. She joins Tom Power to talk about her new book and she reads a few poems for us as well. If you enjoy this conversation, you might also like Tom’s conversation with Canadian poet Farah Ghafoor.

Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, there was no one cooler than Chloë Sevigny. After being discovered on the streets of New York, she became the ultimate It Girl. She was an in-demand model and actor known for her unique eye for fashion as well as for starring in indie films that are now considered cult classics. Last September, Chloë sat down with Tom to talk about the different phases of her career and her new film, "Bonjour Tristesse.” If you enjoy this conversation, take a listen to Tom’s chat with actor Josh Hartnett on how he escaped the heartthrob label.

July Talk’s Peter Dreimanis just made his big screen debut playing a singing vampire in Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” — and it all happened because of a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover song he released. Peter sits down with Tom Power to tell us the story behind his first major film role, plus, a little bit about his debut solo album under the name Peter Dreams, which he wrote while waiting for his newborn baby to arrive.

The Canadian content creator Jasmeet Raina, also known as Jus Reign, is back with Season 2 of “Late Bloomer” — his half-hour comedy series inspired by his own life as a turban-wearing Punjabi Canadian millennial. Jasmeet sits down with Tom Power to talk about the two episodes he wrote and directed this season: one that sheds light on anti-Sikh racism after the Sept. 11 attacks, and one that takes us into the lives of international students in Canada who work as food couriers. If you want to hear more from Jasmeet, search for his 2024 interview with Tom.

For her sixth studio album, “The Truth We Hold,” folk singer Amanda Rheaume dug deep into her Métis heritage by interviewing elders in communities across the country. What she learned came as a surprise, even to her. Amanda sits down with Tom Power to talk about the album and the ups and downs surrounding its release, including having to cancel a show at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

As a kid growing up in Nipissing, Ont., Christian Allaire dreamed of being part of the glamorous world that he saw in his mother’s Vogue magazines. Now, he’s the senior fashion and style writer at Vogue in New York. Christian writes about that incredible journey in his new memoir, “From the Rez to the Runway.” He sits down with Tom Power to talk about how powwow regalia and jingle dance dresses were his first exposure to the fashion world, the racism he encountered throughout his time in the fashion industry, and how he embraced his Ojibwe identity as his cool factor. If you like this conversation, you’ll probably also enjoy Tom’s interview with fashion designer Anna Sui.

The Canadian actor and comedian Mark McKinney (Superstore, The Kids in the Hall) isn't necessarily known for political comedy, but now he’s playing Prime Minister Mark Carney on “This Hour Has 22 Minutes.” Mark drops by our studio to chat with Tom Power about his portrayal of the Liberal leader and how he landed the role. If you like this conversation, check out Tom’s latest interview with “22 Minutes” star Mark Critch on his year-end interview with Justin Trudeau.

Pop-punk trailblazer Mark Hoppus is the bassist, co-founder and co-lead vocalist for Blink-182. In his new memoir, “Fahrenheit-182,” he shares his life story, from his parents’ divorce, to being inspired to pick up the bass guitar, to his instant connection with his Blink-182 bandmate Tom DeLonge. Mark joins Tom Power to reflect on his journey with the band, why their break-up felt like a divorce, and how his cancer diagnosis brought them back together for good. If you like this chat, check out Tom’s conversation with musician Dan Wilson of Semisonic on his massive hit “Closing Time.”

The Grammy-winning Japanese jazz composer and pianist Hiromi has always challenged expectations with her music. Now, she and her group Hiromi’s Sonicwonder have released a new album, “Out There.” Hiromi joins Tom Power to talk about the record, why ramen is so important to her life and how she kind of became pen pals with the late Canadian jazz legend Oscar Peterson. Plus, she sets up her song “Yes! Ramen!!”

The new sitcom “North of North” follows a young Inuk mother named Siaja who’s on a journey to reclaim her life while living in the fictional Arctic community of Ice Cove — a town where everybody knows your business. Co-creators Stacey Aglok MacDonald and Alethea Arnaquq-Baril say they made the place up to represent all Inuit communities across the North. Back in January, they joined Tom Power to talk about shooting the series in Iqaluit (where they both live) and how they’re changing the conversation around Inuit representation on-screen.

Alan Ritchson is best known for playing Jack Reacher, an ex-military nomad who negotiates suspicious and dangerous situations. But in his new film, “Ordinary Angels,” Alan plays a father whose brawn is of little use in the face of his young daughter’s illness. Last year, the actor joined Tom Power to talk about playing a dad desperate to save his child, what it’s like to do a scene with an Oscar winner when you can tell she’s not sure about you, and why he wrote a letter to Tom Cruise when he booked “Reacher.”

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. Last year, Cate sat down with Tom for a thoughtful conversation about two of her most recent projects (the unique political satire “Rumours” and the psychological thriller series “Disclaimer”), plus, her voice work and how she chooses her roles.

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?” The record’s title track is all about the realities of working with someone you admire. Earlier this year, Brandi joined Tom Power to introduce us to the song and tell us more about her collaboration with Elton.

The award-winning Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter Deepa Mehta has reshaped and redefined both Canadian and Indian cinema with her bold and groundbreaking films. Now, she’s being honoured with a career retrospective called “Through the Fire: The Films of Deepa Mehta” at TIFF in Toronto. It features screenings of 10 of her most prominent films of the past 35 years. Deepa sits down with Tom Power for a career-spanning conversation about her life and work, the backlash to some of her films in India, and why the last thing she wants to be called is a “controversial” filmmaker. If you enjoy this conversation, take a listen to Tom’s interviews with Canadian filmmakers Sarah Polley, Denis Villeneuve or James Cameron.

For 40 years, Dream Theater has been one of the biggest progressive rock bands in the world, if not the biggest. The driving force behind their music has been legendary drummer Mike Portnoy, but for more than a decade, he and the band were split. That all changed last year when Mike rejoined the band and they recorded their latest album, “Parasomnia.” He sits down with Tom Power to talk about reuniting with Dream Theater and Rush’s influence on the band. If you like this conversation, you’ll probably also enjoy Tom’s interviews with Geddy Lee or Alex Lifeson.

For years, the Toronto painter Gordon Shadrach has been making stunning oil portraits that investigate the way Black men are represented in society. But in his new exhibit, “the earth is always shifting, the light is always changing,” Gordon unpacks his cancer diagnosis and the year of isolation that followed it. He sits down with Tom Power to tell us how illness and recovery affected him and his art. You can check out a selection of Gordon’s paintings on our Instagram (@cbcq). If you’re interested in hearing more conversations with artists, take a listen to Tom’s interviews with Hangama Amiri, Wanda Koop or Geoff McFetridge.

Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza’s harrowing new film “Warfare” takes a realistic look at a platoon of Navy SEALs on a mission gone wrong in Iraq in 2006. It’s based on Ray's experiences as a real-life Navy SEAL, and it’s dedicated to his platoon member, Elliott Miller, who lost a leg and suffered a traumatic brain injury during the mission. Ray set out to make the film to help Elliott remember what they went through that day. In this conversation with Tom Power, Ray and the Canadian actor who plays him, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, talk about “Warfare” and why it was important to tell this story as true to life as possible. If you like this conversation, listen to Tom Power’s interview with Alex Garland on “Civil War.”

Craig Mazin is the showrunner behind HBO’s hit post-apocalyptic series “The Last of Us” — but he didn’t always write TV dramas. Much of his career was spent working on big comedy film franchises like “Scary Movie” and “The Hangover.” In this conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, Craig breaks down why it takes a smart person to write dumb comedy, plus, what you can expect from Season 2 of “The Last of Us.” If you enjoy this conversation, check out Tom Power’s chat with director and producer Barry Sonnenfeld.

At 13, Nell Smith made headlines for releasing an album of Nick Cave covers with one of her favourite bands, The Flaming Lips. After that, the promising young singer from Fernie, B.C., started working on her debut solo album, “Anxious.” But this past October, at 17, Nell’s life was tragically cut short by a car accident. Now, her record has been released posthumously. Sage McBride and Tim Newton of the Fernie-based indie band Shred Kelly helped Nell write some of the music on the album. They join Tom Power to share their memories of her

The actor Jonathan Roumie is most famous for playing the role of Jesus Christ in the smash hit TV show, “The Chosen.” He joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the show’s massive global impact, the unique pressures that come with the role, and why centuries later, there remains a great fascination with the life that Jesus lived. If you enjoy this conversation, check out Tom Power’s interview with Canadian actor Victor Garber, who made his film debut as Jesus in the movie “Godspell.”

The singer-songwriter Tracy Chapman made her voice heard in 1988 when she performed her song “Fast Car” for 90,000 people at a Free Nelson Mandela concert at Wembley Stadium. That song was off her self-titled debut album, which went on to win three Grammys and solidify her as an important American voice. Now, 35 years later, it’s still making an impact and it’s just been re-issued on vinyl. Tracy joins guest host Garvia Bailey to share her memories of making that record, why she thinks “Fast Car” means so much to so many, and how the years she spent busking on street corners taught her how to hold a crowd’s attention with just her voice and a guitar.

Next week, the Halifax singer-songwriter Joel Plaskett celebrates his 50th birthday. As a special surprise, 22 of his musical friends have come together to make a tribute album, “Songs from the Gang.” One of those friends, Sloan’s Chris Murphy, sits down with Tom Power to talk about his cover of Joel’s classic song “I Love This Town.”

For years, Rachid Badouri has been one of Quebec's biggest comedy stars. His shows have sold millions of tickets around the world, he has a Netflix stand-up special called “Les fleurs du tapis,” and he’s also a judge on “Quel talent!” (Quebec’s version of “Canada’s Got Talent”). But now, Rachid is ready to make a name for himself in the English-speaking world. He sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about his journey in comedy, what it’s like translating his French jokes into English, and how stand-up has helped him embrace his Moroccan heritage. If you like this conversation, check out Tom Power’s interview with Montreal comedian Sugar Sammy.

What do you think you know about Yoko Ono? That she broke up the Beatles? That she was just there, always in the background? David Sheff wants to set the record straight with his new biography, “Yoko.” He was the last journalist to interview John Lennon and Yoko before John’s murder in 1980, and after that tragedy, he stayed close with the Japanese artist. David joins Tom Power to share Yoko’s real story, her impact on modern art, and why he thinks instead of blaming her for breaking up the Beatles, we should be thanking her for keeping the Beatles together longer.