q: The Podcast from CBC Radio

In her new memoir, Even the Good Girls Will Cry, Canadian musician Melissa Auf der Maur pulls back the curtain on the alternative and grunge scene of the '90s. She tells Tom Power about the chaotic, often destructive dynamics within Hole — and how, through it all, frontwoman Courtney Love emerged as one of rock's most powerful feminist voices. With both her bass and her camera as constant companions, Melissa made it through the decade not only intact, but stronger. The Montreal-born musician and artist joins Tom Power to share the whirlwind story of how it all came to be.

A few months ago, Stephen Spencer, a New York-based music professor from Ottawa, started posting videos on TikTok and Instagram accompanied by music he made with his three-year-old daughter. Their original songs include Apple Man, The Christmas Cat, and Funchy the Snowwoman. What started out as a fun project to share with his mom and her book club quickly became viral. Now, Stephen has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of views on his videos. He joins Tom Power to talk about the unexpected success of this project, the importance of truly listening to a child, and what it means to have “creative innocence.”

Next week, the Toronto indie band Good Kid is releasing their debut album, Can We Hang Out Sometime? They've built a massive online fanbase by embracing internet culture — from gaming streams to Discord communities — and letting fans help shape the band's creative world. Nick Frosst and Jacob Tsafatinos of Good Kid join Tom Power to talk about the new album and how it came together. Nick is also the co-founder of one of Canada's leading AI companies, so he and Jacob share their thoughts about AI's place in music and whether it's changing how artists create.

Thirty years ago, legendary Cree playwright Tomson Highway wrote a musical called Rose that was never professionally produced, though it was occasionally staged by students. One of those productions took place at the University of Toronto, where singer and actor Patricia Cano played the lead. What began as a student-teacher relationship between Tomson and Patricia eventually grew into something more like family. Now, Rose is finally getting its first professional production at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, with Patricia once again in the starring role. Tomson and Patricia join guest host Garvia Bailey to share the story behind the musical and their decades-long creative partnership.

Many artists won't talk openly about money and ambition, but Haitian Canadian singer-songwriter Tedy says the quiet part out loud. In 2025, he released his debut album, Scandalous. One of the album's standout tracks, Rich, is blunt, catchy and unapologetic — a song about not wanting to work hard, just wanting to be rich. The irony is that Tedy is working harder than ever right now. He sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about his rising music career.

Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street) are two college friends with a gift for turning “unfilmable” ideas into box office gold. From the cult favourite series Clone High to the high-concept chaos of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, they've built a career on big swings and absurd humour. Now, the Oscar-winning duo is heading into deep space with their new sci-fi blockbuster Project Hail Mary. Lord and Miller join guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about adapting a beloved novel, being fearless in an industry that seems allergic to risk, and what it takes to keep your friendship and creative partnership alive in Hollywood.

Calgary's Tate McRae is tied with Justin Bieber for the most nominations at this year's Juno Awards, with six apiece. Last year, she talked to Tom Power about her skyrocketing career, growing up on social media, and how she's learning to slow down and appreciate the present moment.

Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet from Stardom, Won't You Be My Neighbor?) is turning his attention to Paul McCartney in a new film, Man on the Run. It explores Paul's life after the breakup of The Beatles, tracing the personal and creative journey that led him to form the band Wings. Morgan joins guest host Garvia Bailey to discuss his conversations with Paul, and why he says the musician wanted to speak so candidly about this pivotal chapter in his life.

There's something abuzz in the classical music world — something 300 years in the making. It's a new recording from a 300-year-old manuscript of Bach's Leipzig cantatas, but with a surprising twist: the works aren't by Johann Sebastian Bach, but his distant cousin, Johann Ludwig Bach. Renowned conductor Johanna Soller is the driving force behind the album, titled Johann Ludwig Bach: The Leipzig Cantatas. She joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about recording these pieces for the first time, and why they matter today.

Before Sindhu Vee became one of the most sought-after comics working today, she was a stay-at-home mom, and before that, an investment banker. Now, she's performing to sold-out audiences around the world. After a brief hiatus, Sindhu is back with a new tour, Swanky. She joins Tom Power to talk about returning to the stage, navigating the profound loss of her parents and sister, and why humour matters more to her now than ever.

Alireza Khatami's new film, The Things You Kill, begins as a quiet family drama set in Turkey before taking a sharp, surreal turn into psychological thriller territory. It follows Ali, a university professor who returns home to a complicated family dynamic. After the suspicious death of his ailing mother, he coerces his gardener into carrying out deadly revenge on his father. The film won the World Cinema Dramatic Directing Award at last year's Sundance Film Festival and was Canada's official submission to the Academy Awards. Alireza sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about making films that linger in the mind — and why he asked his family in Iran not to see this one.

After the life threatening skin disease Epidermolysis Bullosa affected a family friend, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and his wife Jill founded an organization to help find a cure. That was 15 years ago, and today, they hope they are close to succeeding. Their journey is documented in a new concert film called Matter of Time which follows both Eddie and Jill's story and several kids living with EB. Canadian director Matt Finlin spent years putting the film together. Both Eddie and Matt joined Tom Power to talk about “the worst disease you've never heard of” and how art can uplift and heal, even when the world feels hopeless.

Canadian television producer Jeff Norton created Netflix's latest global hit: Finding Her Edge. It follows three sisters facing loss, heartbreak and the immense pressure of their family's figure skating legacy. Olympic-winning ice dancers Piper Gilles, Paul Poirier and Elvis Stojko make cameos. Jeff joins Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about how he adapted the series from a young adult book and created such a popular teen drama.

Following his 2024 breakout hit, Big Dawgs, Hanumankind has become a global rapper. Born in Kerala, India and growing up all over the world, Hanumankind quickly drew interest at local open mics in India for his Houston rap influences and his ability to freestyle on a whim. In 2023, he signed with Def Jam India and by the next year, he was playing Coachella and working with artists like A$AP Rocky. He stopped by the Q studio to talk to Garvia Bailey about his first North American tour, his album Monsoon Season and how he continues to put South Indian hip-hop on the map with his own unique sound and aesthetic.

Canadian writer and director Ian Tuason's debut feature film is Undertone. The horror movie follows a podcaster who gets sent a series of disturbing audio files that invite paranormal activity into her own life. Ian Tuason joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the real life events that inspired the film, shooting the film on a microbudget in his family home and the multi-studio bidding war the film sparked before landing at A24.

You might recognize Lia Pappas-Kemps from her recurring role on the CBC TV show Anne with an E, but she always knew she was meant to be a musician. Lia went from hanging out in music venues in Toronto when she was only eight-years-old, watching her older sister's rock band, to writing her own songs and now releasing her debut record. She dropped by the Q studio to talk to Garvia Bailey about the new album, Winged, and how she turns her self-doubt into soaring melodies.

Two-time JUNO-award winning jazz vocalist Dominique Fils-Aimé is back with a new album, My World Is The Sun. It's inspired by something her mother taught her: you don't find peace, you build it. In between stops on her cross-Canada tour, Dominique stops by the Q studio to chat with Garvia Bailey about making the new album, how she fell in love with jazz and why creative freedom can lead to healing.

Canadian electronic music pioneer Nash the Slash toured with the likes of Iggy Pop and Gary Numan. But he didn't make the same splash at home. Nash the Slash was the stage name of Toronto musician Jeff Plewman, who quietly died in 2014. But his artistry is coming back into the light with a new documentary, Nash the Slash Rises Again! The doc's director Tim Kowalski joins Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about how Nash the Slash broke out of Toronto's alternative scene in the '70s to tour internationally, open for The Police and other big acts.

Ronnie Burkett, the Governor General Award-winning puppeteer, is back with a new show Little Willy. He joins Garvia Bailey to talk about why he wanted to do a provocative, comedic take on Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Ronnie reflects on 40 years of doing puppet shows for adults with his Theatre of Marionettes and why audiences make the puppets “real.”

Kate Hudson was raised by Hollywood royalty: Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell. When she was growing up, they told her that if she wanted to be an actor it had to be because of something deep inside her — not just for fame and fortune. In 2024, Kate sat down with Tom Power for a conversation about her Hollywood upbringing, as well as her role in Max Minghella's Shell, her Oscar-nominated role in Almost Famous and why she started making music.

Game of Thrones is known for its complex story arcs, violent political conflicts and its big ensemble cast. But a new prequel, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is leaning into humour and putting a focus on the charming duo at the centre of the story. Canadian screenwriter Ira Parker created the show with author George R. R. Martin. He joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about how he created the new series and how he went from shooting films in his dad's warehouse in St. Catharines, Ontario to making an emotional TV series in Hollywood.

For nearly fifty years, Canadian author Robert Munsch has been publishing books that have a firm place in the hearts and bedtime routines of families all over the world. Now, a stage play at the Young People's Theatre (YPT) in Toronto brings some of that Munsch magic to stage. Q guest host Garvia Bailey speaks with the play's co-directors Stephen Colella and Karen Gilodo about adapting five iconic and classic Munsch stories for the stage, and why those books are so enduring and beloved.

Three years ago, Harry Styles was coming off one of the biggest tours in history and had just won album of the year at the Grammys. But instead of rushing to release another record and riding that wave of success, he pulled back and spent time alone. Harry told himself he wouldn't return to the studio until he answered two important questions: what he wanted to say with his music, and why he was making it in the first place. In this Canadian exclusive interview, Tom Power catches up with Harry in Los Angeles to talk about the path that led to his latest album, Kiss All the Time. Disco, Occasionally.

You've heard of method actors — performers who fully immerse themselves in a role until a project is complete — but Baz Luhrmann has been called a “method director.” Spectacle is his signature. From the glittering chaos of Moulin Rouge! to the roaring parties of The Great Gatsby, Baz fills every frame with vibrant colour, music and movement. For his new documentary, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, he dives headfirst into the glitter once again, this time to tell the story of his longtime muse, Elvis Presley. The film shows the King of Rock and Roll not as a myth, but as a ferocious live performer full of humanity and power. Baz joins guest host Garvia Bailey to reflect on the bold, anything-goes style that's defined his career, and why he's drawn to cultural icons and big emotional swings.

Emma Higgins is a Vancouver-based filmmaker who first cut her teeth making music videos. In 2021, she won a Juno for her work with Jessie Reyez on the track No One's In The Room. Now, she's released her feature directorial debut, Sweetness, which follows a 16-year-old girl who kidnaps her rockstar idol in an attempt to “help” him recover from addiction. Emma drops by the Q studio to talk to guest host Garvia Bailey about the film and why teenage fandom was perfect fodder for a horror movie.

Ashton James is quickly becoming one of Canada's most exciting rising actors. His latest leading role is in the film Youngblood, a remake of the 1986 hockey drama of the same name. Ashton sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about hitting the ice with purpose, learning how to skate like a pro, and how his grandmother in St. Lucia helped inspire his journey into acting. Plus, he shares his memories of the late Canadian filmmaker Charles Officer.

Chris Lavis is the Montreal-based writer, director and animator behind the Oscar-nominated stop-motion film The Girl Who Cried Pearls. The 17-minute animated short is a modern-day fable about a poor boy in Montreal who finds himself caught between love and greed after falling for a girl who cries pearls. In this conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, Chris talks about representing Canada and the NFB at this year's Academy Awards, the painstaking craft behind the film's intricate stop-motion animation, and what it was like to find out that his hero, Steven Spielberg, is a fan of the movie.

After a life-altering attack that nearly killed him when he was 16, Cole Stevenson, also known as Merkules, set out to become one of the biggest rappers on Canada's West Coast. Growing up, he had pictures of Snoop Dogg on his bedroom wall. So years later, when Snoop's label Death Row Records came calling, Merkules almost hung up the phone. Today, he's the only Canadian artist to ever be signed to the iconic label. Merkules sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about his debut for Death Row, Survivor's Guilt, which is a statement album about his life, career, and the obstacles he's overcome along the way.

Paul Grimstad is a Yale professor and music composer who just so happens to be in two of this year's most talked-about films: One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme. Paul talks to guest host Talia Schlanger about how he landed the roles without an agent or recent acting credits, the advice he got from actor Leonardo DiCaprio, and what he means when he says “experimenting is a lot like experiencing.”

Ian Thornley has been at the helm of the rock band Big Wreck for the better part of 30 years — but he didn't always see himself as a frontman. With encouragement from his bandmates, he stepped into the role and Big Wreck went on to become bona fide Canadian hitmakers. The band's latest album, The Rest of the Story, is out now, and they're currently on tour across Canada. Ian stops by the Q studio to talk with guest host Garvia Bailey about returning to the spotlight, the highs and lows of life on the road, and how his longtime friend Chad Kroeger helped him write his first solo record.

Julia Dault is an acclaimed Canadian abstract painter and sculptor whose work can be found in the Guggenheim Museum, Miami's Pérez Art Museum, the National Gallery of Canada, and many other notable galleries around the world. But after a midlife crisis, Julia shifted her focus away from international exhibits and toward the hyper-local. She sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about that change, and why she decided to open a community art studio in Toronto called Hot Pizza, built around a simple motto: art for everyone.

After a decade away from music, Hilary Duff is back with Luck… or Something — a new album that dives into the messy, vulnerable and raw parts of life she's now navigating in her late 30s. Hilary sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to discuss her comeback album, child stardom, and her complicated relationship with Lizzie McGuire.

Jully Black, Canada's Queen of R&B Soul, is currently on tour, but not the kind of tour we're used to. She's performing at small venues across the country for what she's calling the Jully Black Live Experience. Guest host Garvia Bailey catches up with the R&B powerhouse to talk about why she wanted to get up close and personal with her fans. Plus, Jully reflects on how a song she recorded more than 25 years ago has earned her a new Juno nomination — and a spot at Q Live at the Junos, taking place in Hamilton on March 26.

Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett — the architects of the Grammy-winning, multi-platinum band Gorillaz — are back with their 9th studio record, The Mountain. It might be the group's most personal record yet, as it follows a fictional story inspired by real events. After Damon and Jamie both lost their fathers, they decided to travel to India where they gained a new understanding of death and family. The Mountain was the result of that journey. Damon and Jamie join guest host Talia Schlanger to open up about the album and the personal loss that fuelled it.

The Montreal hip-hop trio Muzion were pioneers of the Quebec rap scene in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The group was known for bringing their Haitian roots to the world stage, mixing French, English and Haitian Creole into their music. For Black History Month, Canada Post recently unveiled special edition postage stamps to honour Muzion and other Canadian hip-hop artists that have helped shape the genre. Two of the members of Muzion — Jenny Salgado and Stanley Salgado (better known as Imposs) — join guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us why this moment means so much to them, and to talk about Muzion's enduring influence.

Candi Staton has been a gospel prodigy, a Southern soul powerhouse and a disco icon. Now, at 85, she's back in the spotlight with her Grammy-nominated album Back to My Roots, which marks her return to the gospel music where it all began. From segregated Alabama churches to '90s dance floors, her career includes timeless hits like Young Hearts Run Free and You Got the Love. But it's also a journey marked by hardship, heartbreak and long stretches of being overlooked. Candi joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about finally getting her flowers — and what it means to keep singing after seven decades in music.

Canadian rapper Alexander Gumuchian, better known as bbno$, is up for three Junos next month. A few years ago, he sat down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about his unconventional path to success, from a bored college kid making music for fun to a viral TikTok star and mainstream hitmaker.

Leroy Sibbles is one of the biggest names in reggae history. Known as the undisputed king of the reggae bassline, Leroy first rose to fame as the lead singer of The Heptones. He was also an integral part of Jamaica's Studio One record label, which is often described as “the Motown of Jamaica.” In the early '70s, Leroy left Jamaica for Canada, where he helped build Toronto's fledgling reggae scene. In this conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, he talks about his incredible life and career.

When artist Jesse Mockrin looks at Renaissance paintings, she can't help but see the gender-based violence in them. Her new exhibit, Echo, at the Art Gallery of Ontario, reimagines these works from a feminist perspective — shifting focus to the women whose stories have long been overlooked or erased in historical art. Jesse joins guest host Garvia Bailey to discuss the inspirations behind her work, why she often crops her paintings, and her fascination with hands.

Oliver Laxe is the director of the Oscar-nominated film Sirāt, which is up for best international feature (representing Spain) and best sound at this year's Academy Awards. Set against vast stretches of desert, the film follows a father searching for his missing daughter after she disappears at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco. Oliver spent more than a decade making Sirāt, paring the script down to just 50 pages and letting its deep techno score, movement and imagery drive the story. In this conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, he talks about his singular approach to storytelling, and the surprising role the dance floor played in his own healing.

After years working behind the scenes as a songwriter and producer, followed by a nearly decade-long hiatus in the corporate world, Koladae made the decision to finally release his own music. But then, a little over a year ago, he was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. He wrote his latest single, Keep Rolling, just two weeks before his surgery. Koladae talks to guest host Garvia Bailey about what this difficult experience taught him about life, and about making music.

Suzy Eddie Izzard is a Tony-nominated actor, stand-up comedian, multi-marathon runner and one-time political candidate. Now, she's performing a solo adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet at the CAA Theatre in Toronto, in which she plays all 23 characters. Suzy joins guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us about the challenges of doing Hamlet solo, why she was especially keen to breathe new life into Shakespeare's female characters, and why conventional beauty is like winning the acting lottery.