q: The Podcast from CBC Radio

Canadian singer Jane Siberry is a free spirit in every sense. From distributing her own music to touring fans' living rooms, she's spent four decades doing things her own way. This year, Jane is being rewarded with honours from the Polaris Heritage Prize and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. She joins Tom Power to talk about following her muses and having the courage to be sensitive.

Canadian film legend Zacharias Kunuk (Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner) has made more than 30 films and documentaries over his career — almost entirely in Inuktitut. His latest film, Uiksaringitara (Wrong Husband), is an epic historical drama set 4,000 years ago in what we now call Nunavut, where supernatural forces threaten the promised marriage of lovers Kaujak and Sapa. Zacharias joins guest host Talia Schlanger to discuss the traditional Inuit stories that inspired the film, what he says John Wayne movies have in common with Inuit storytelling, and why he's hoping audiences a century from now will still be studying his acclaimed body of work.

On Bells Larsen's stunning album Blurring Time he 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. Last year, the Canadian singer-songwriter sat down with Tom Power to talk about the record and having to cancel his U.S. tour.

When Elizabeth Gilbert published her memoir Eat, Pray, Love 20 years ago, she set off a tourism boom of solo travellers inspired by her search for self-worth and fulfillment. But if the book Eat, Pray, Love is an inspirational tale, then her latest memoir, All the Way to the River, is a cautionary one, detailing what happens when we look for validation in the arms of other people. In this candid interview with Tom Power, Elizabeth shares what she's learned about love and why it's a memoirist's responsibility to tell the whole, messy truth.

Canadian stand-up comedian Phil Hanley has lived with severe dyslexia for so long he can't see life any other way. But what once held him back as a child has now become his greatest superpower, as he's been able to find the humour in his diagnosis to great success. That's something he writes about in his new memoir, Spellbound: My Life as a Dyslexic Wordsmith. Phil sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about his fascinating life (including a brief modelling career in the '90s) and how comedy gave him the confidence to overcome his shame.

When Anoushka Shankar was in Goa a few years ago, she wrote down four words: “Three chapters, three geographies.” That note has been the inspiration for a trilogy of mini-albums. Last year, around the release of the final album in the trilogy, Chapter III: We Return To Light, the acclaimed sitar player sat down with Tom Power to talk about how she wants to change perceptions of her instrument, and how she navigates her career in the shadow cast by her famous father, Ravi Shankar.

Sixty years into their career and one intense legal battle later, Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman of the Guess Who have finally won back the rights to their name. To celebrate, the two Canadian music legends are getting the band back together for a tour across their home country. Burton and Randy join Tom Power to talk about their new chapter and tour, their songwriting partnership, and how they wrote some of their biggest hits.

Nine-time Grammy winner Mark Ronson is responsible for producing some of the biggest pop songs of the last few decades. He's worked with the likes of Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa and Amy Winehouse. Back in September, he released a new memoir, Night People, which traces his early years working as a DJ in nightclubs around New York City. Mark joined Tom Power to tell us how that laid the groundwork for his acclaimed career as a producer, and how it also taught him what it takes to make a crowd dance.

Phil Rosenthal is the creator, writer and executive producer of Everybody Loves Raymond, one of the most successful sitcoms of all time. But after the show wrapped in 2005, it took nearly 10 years for him to get his next dream project off the ground. Now, Phil's food and travel show Somebody Feed Phil is in its eighth season on Netflix. Last summer, he joined Tom Power live on-stage at the Banff World Media Festival to talk about betting on himself, having the courage to stay positive, and why cynicism is a waste of time.

Comedian Atsuko Okatsuka is able to make the most difficult life experiences seem funny. In her latest stand-up special, Father, she takes a look at her complex childhood growing up undocumented in the U.S. (she was technically kidnapped by her own grandma, though she doesn't see it that way). Last July, Atsuko joined guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about turning those early experiences into comedy, and how she dives into her past with empathy and humour.

This year, Sandra Oh (Killing Eve, Grey's Anatomy) received critical acclaim for her role in the Canadian indie film “Can I Get a Witness?” It's set in a not-too-distant future when climate change has been solved. But there's a catch: all humans are required by law to end their life at age 50. Back in March, the Ottawa-born actor joined Tom Power to talk about the movie and why it spoke to her. She also reflected on her journey as an actor, from finding her passion at eight years old to becoming one of Hollywood's most accomplished stars.

Mo Amer is a Palestinian American comedian who puts himself at the heart of his work, using his own lived experiences to fuel his comedy. But with the situation in Gaza and the Israeli occupied West Bank right now, that's getting harder to do. This past summer, Mo joined Tom Power to talk about the pressure he's feeling as a Palestinian American comedian, the emotional conversations he's been having with his fans, and how his life in comedy all got started

Anne Murray definitely got her flowers in 2025. This past September, the Canadian icon returned with her 33rd studio album, “Here You Are,” which features 11 unreleased songs she recorded back in the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. She sat down with Tom Power in Vancouver to tell us how a fan got her to revisit those old songs, why she purposely stayed out the U.S. for her whole career, and how her royalties spiked after her appearance on “Family Guy.”

Montreal's own Yanic Truesdale has become a beloved actor all around the world, particularly for his role as Stars Hollow's passive aggressive hotel concierge, Michel, on the hit show “Gilmore Girls.” Earlier this year, Yanic joined Tom Power to talk about his early days as an actor, his life-changing audition for the show that put him on the map, and why he didn't want to have a French accent for his new role in “Étoile” — the latest series from “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino.

The award-winning Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter Deepa Mehta has redefined both Canadian and Indian cinema with her bold and groundbreaking films. Earlier this year, she was honoured with a career retrospective at TIFF in Toronto, featuring screenings of 10 of her most prominent films of the past 35 years. Deepa sat 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.

After the success of “Uncut Gems,” director Josh Safdie is back with “Marty Supreme” — his first film without his creative partner and brother, Benny. The film is already generating significant buzz, particularly for Timothée Chalamet's performance as a charismatic but arrogant table tennis prodigy. Josh joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the film and what made Timothée perfect for the role. Plus, he reflects on the loneliness he felt while making “Uncut Gems,” what it really means to pursue your dreams, and whether the sacrifice is worth it. If you like this interview, check out Tom Power's conversation with Benny Safdie about his film “The Smashing Machine.”

For the rising Canadian country music star Sacha, 2025 has been a very big year. She released her incredible debut record, “Woman in the Mirror,” she got three nominations at the Canadian Country Music Awards, and she put out a brand new Christmas song, “Where Are You Christmas.” But perhaps her biggest moment was making her debut on the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry. Sacha joins Tom Power to talk about that moment and she plays her new Christmas single for us.

Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul) is back with a new show, “Pluribus,” which he describes as a post-apocalyptic zombie tale with a twist. But in this story, an alien virus transforms all of humankind into one peaceful, happy hive mind — except for 13 people in the world who are somehow immune. Vince joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the show, what draws him to post-apocalyptic stories, and why he thinks we need to move on from anti-heroes and start telling more stories about good guys.

As a recipient of the MacArthur Fellowship (also known as the MacArthur Genius Grant), you could say filmmaker Sterlin Harjo is a certified genius. He's responsible for creating the groundbreaking series “Reservation Dogs,” which follows the lives of four Indigenous teenagers in rural Oklahoma. Now, Sterlin is back with a new series called “The Lowdown,” starring Ethan Hawke as a rough-and-tumble bookstore owner and "truthstorian" in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He sat down with Tom Power during this year's Toronto International Film Festival to talk about his career — and how being a genius really just means your friends will give you a hard time about it.

For three decades, director James Cameron (Titanic, The Terminator) has dedicated much of his creative life to the “Avatar” franchise. Now, he's back with the third installment, “Avatar: Fire and Ash.” James sits down with guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about his fascination with both nature and technology, writing characters he wants to understand, and how he may explore using generative AI in future projects.

David Soren is a Canadian director and story artist who's worked on beloved animated films like “Shrek,” “Chicken Run,” and the “Captain Underpants” movie. But while bringing these stories to life, David was living with a debilitating condition. Now, for the first time, he's opening up about his struggles with Crohn's disease in a semi-autobiographical novel for kids called “Invisible: The (Sort Of) True Story of Me and My Hidden Disease.” David sits down with Tom Power to tell us about it.

Art imitates life for Canadian actor Will Arnett (Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman) in “Is This Thing On?” — a new film about a middle-aged man at a crossroads. Will left Toronto for New York City right after school to pursue a career in acting. Instead of doing stand-up or sketch comedy, he studied the craft in hopes of becoming a dramatic actor. But then his obvious comedic ability steered him in a different direction. Will joins Tom Power to talk about circling back to that dream with his latest film, and why he tells director and co-star Bradley Cooper he loves him every day.

Before he was the frontman of Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle spent a decade working as a tour guide in Newfoundland and Labrador. Now, after years as a musical ambassador for his home province, he's returning to that guide role in his latest book, “The Smiling Land,” in which he gives a tour through Newfoundland and Labrador as he sees it. Alan joins Tom Power to talk about the book and why he felt the need to rediscover his home.

Already a household name in his home country of Brazil, Wagner Moura (Narcos, Civil War) is building an international profile as a politically engaged actor who's drawn to movies with a message. Most recently, he won best actor at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival for “The Secret Agent.” Set during the waning days of Brazil's repressive military dictatorship, the movie is a deeply personal one for Wagner who was born at the tail end of the regime. He joins Tom Power to talk about “The Secret Agent,” how movies can help the self-esteem of a country, and why some politicians are afraid of artists.

Rachel Cousins has always had a voice that could stop you in your tracks, but on her new album, “What Hasn't Killed Me,” the St. John's singer-songwriter turns that power inward. Working with Grammy-winning producer Greg Wells, Rachel steps away from pop perfection and into something raw and real — music about growing up, learning to ask for help, and finding beauty in the mess. She sits down with Tom Power to talk about baring her soul on this album and why the song “To Fail” means so much to her.

After 70 years in the music industry, Paul Anka has more than 900 songs to his credit. The prolific Canadian songwriter is also the only artist in history to have a song on the Billboard Top 100 during seven consecutive decades. In the new HBO documentary “Paul Anka: His Way,” Paul recounts his life as a teen idol in the '50s, writing some of the most memorable songs for artists like Buddy Holly and Frank Sinatra, and how he's managed to evolve through the trends of each passing decade. Paul joins Tom Power to talk about his life in music, having a good cry after he wrote "My Way,” and meeting the Beatles back when they were a cover band.

If you looked at Nicole Ariana's career, you might be surprised to hear that she was feeling a bit like an imposter. Nicole was traveling all over the world as an award-winning songwriter and collaborating with big names in the music industry, but deep down she was facing a lot of self-doubt. So she wrote a song about the moment she decided to face her inner demons. Nicole joins Tom Power to talk about her new song, “Return to Sender.”

Since 1999, Tom Kenny has been voicing SpongeBob SquarePants, which he thinks is the greatest job in the world. As the Bikini Bottom crew embark on a new adventure, “The SpongeBob Movie: Search for Squarepants,” Tom joins Tom Power to reminisce on 26 years of SpongeBob.

Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Hildur Guðnadóttir (Joker, Chernobyl, Tár) is behind some of the most interesting film and TV scores in recent years. But now, Hildur is back with a new solo album, “Where to From,” which is her first in more than a decade. Hildur joins guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the unique inspirations for this record, plus, she shares the stories behind some of her most successful film scores.

Leon Thomas has been working in the entertainment industry since he was just a kid. He got his start on Broadway, performing in “The Lion King” when he was eight. He then landed a starring role on the hit Nickelodeon show “Victorious” with Ariana Grande. But behind the scenes, Leon was quietly building his music career, writing and producing songs. Now, he's one of the most nominated people at this year's Grammys, with six nods, including one for album of the year. Leon sits down with Tom Power to talk about his journey from Broadway to Nickelodeon to R&B superstardom.

After director Rian Johnson finished making “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” he didn't really know how to follow it up. So he decided to bang out a really quick murder mystery script. The result was his 2019 film “Knives Out,” which led to the 2022 sequel “Glass Onion,” which has now led to the third and final film of the trilogy, “Wake Up Dead Man.” Rian sits down with Tom Power to discuss his latest “Knives Out” movie, the genius and influence of mystery writer Agatha Christie, and how he thinks his religious upbringing has helped the success of his films.

For her sophomore release, Mexican singer-songwriter Silvana Estrada intended to write an album that showcased her sense of humour. But after experiencing immense personal loss and tragedy, she instead made a record that examines love, grief and humanity. It's called “Vendrán Suaves Lluvias” (or “Soft Rains Will Come” in English) and it's out now. Silvana sits down with Tom Power to talk about her acclaimed new album and the difficulties she faced while making it.

It's been a banner year for Yungblud, the English rock star who just released a joint EP with Aerosmith, titled “One More Time.” He also recently picked up his first Grammy nominations for his solo album “Idols,” as well as for his emotional performance of Black Sabbath's “Changes” at their farewell show in Birmingham over the summer. Yungblud joins Tom Power to talk about his breakout year in music, the personal toll it's had on him, and what he most remembers from singing at Ozzy Osbourne's last show.

Canadian photographer Kayla Isomura has a question for you: if you were forced to quickly leave your home with only one day's notice, what would you bring with you? That's the question at the heart of their powerful photography series “The Suitcase Project.” Kayla is a fourth-generation Japanese Canadian whose ancestors, like so many other Japanese Canadian families, were forcibly removed from their homes during the Second World War and relocated to internment camps. For “The Suitcase Project,” Kayla asked more than 80 other fourth and fifth generation Japanese North Americans to pack up their belongings on short notice, and then shot portraits of them with their suitcases. Kayla joins Tom Power to talk about their family history, and how making “The Suitcase Project” helped them connect with their cultural identity.

In 1968, Jack Kerouac called Canadian poet bill bissett one of the greats. At the time, bill was an icon of the counterculture movement in Vancouver. Fast-forward six decades, and he remains one of Canada's most influential and prolific poets and artists. Now in his late 80s, bill has authored more than 70 books of poetry — his latest, “th book uv lost passwords 1,” came out earlier this fall. bill sits down with Tom Power to talk about his pioneering work in concrete poetry and sound poetry, and his rejection of conventional spelling and punctuation. Plus, he reads a couple pieces from his new collection.

Choclair was a high school student in the '90s when he started spending his nights making hip-hop music with future stars like Kardinal Offishall, Jully Black and Saukrates. Together, they helped grow Toronto's hip-hop scene into the behemoth it is today, despite limited support from the domestic music industry. Now, at 50, Choclair is setting out with a new album, “Transit Music,” which is his first full-length record in more than 20 years. He joins Tom Power to talk about the record, his climb to success, and the obstacles he faced trying to put Toronto hip-hop on the map.

For Noah Reid (Schitt's Creek, Outer Range), there's nothing better than singing with a big group of people. The actor and musician sits down with Tom Power to chat about his upcoming live show at Massey Hall in Toronto, “Christmas Hour.” He also reflects on his big year on tour and what it was like performing at the World Series.

When novelist Maggie O'Farrell learned that Shakespeare had a son who died just a few years before he wrote “Hamlet” — and that history books barely mentioned it — she wanted to find out more. That led her to write the bestselling novel “Hamnet,” which has now been adapted into a new film starring Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley. Maggie joins Tom Power to tell us how her Hamnet story came to be, what Shakespeare might have been trying to tell us by naming his play after his son, and why she waited until her own son was past the age that Hamnet was when he died to start writing her novel.

The Governor General's Award-winning playwright Michael Healey (The Master Plan, The Drawer Boy) is putting a Canadian corporate drama front and centre in his new play, “Rogers v. Rogers.” The story, which feels like a Canadian version of the hit HBO show “Succession,” is about the real-life family battle for control of Rogers Communications — one of the big three telecommunications and media giants in Canada. Michael joins Tom Power to tell us why he wanted to bring this story of corporate chaos to the stage, and why he opted to make it a one-actor play, starring Tom Rooney.

Murray Lightburn and Natalia Yanchak are a husband-and-wife duo who lead the acclaimed Montreal rock band The Dears. In the early 2000s, they put a heavy stamp on indie pop music in Canada. Now, they're celebrating their 30th anniversary as a band with the release of a new album, “Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful! Life Is Beautiful!” Murray and Natalia sit down with Tom Power to talk about their hopeful new record, their partnership, and that very unique time in Canadian music when they got their start.

After years playing U.S. President Donald Trump on the news parody show “This Hour Has 22 Minutes,” comedian Mark Critch has come up with a few ideas on how Canada should deal with him. He's just released a new book, “Sorry, Not Sorry,” in which he argues that it's time for Canadians to park their apologies and match the president's bravado with some of our own. Mark joins Tom Power to share his unapologetic look at what makes Canada worth fighting for.

When author Dav Pilkey was in the second grade, he started drawing cartoons in his notebook. He ended up naming them “Captain Underpants” and “Dog Man.” Those two characters would end up becoming his life's work. Together, they've led to nearly 40 graphic novels, two Hollywood movies and a TV series. Dav sits down with Tom Power to talk about being misunderstood as a kid with ADHD and dyslexia, how drawing gave him confidence, and why he thinks graphic novels are a great way to introduce kids to reading.