q: The Podcast from CBC Radio

Carley Fortune says she had one firm line when it came to the Amazon Prime adaptation of her debut novel: it had to stay in Canada. In the end, the series Every Year After stayed rooted in the same country as her books. In a special interview from Banff, Alberta, Tom Power sits down with the bestselling author behind Every Summer After and Our Perfect Storm to talk about why setting is never just backdrop in her love stories, and what it's like watching the worlds she imagined on the page come to life on screen.

Tillie Walden is a prolific and award-winning American graphic novelist. Her 2017 graphic memoir, Spinning, won the prestigious Eisner Award. Now, she's back with her 15th publication, Charity and Sylvia, which takes readers into rural Vermont in the early and mid-1800s to tell the story of one of the oldest documented queer relationships in America. Tillie tells Tom Power about the true love story of Charity Bryant and Sylvia Drake, how their story made her reflect on her own life, and what it's like to draw 240 pages in just eight months.

Diljit Dosanjh has become the face of a global Punjabi music wave. From the Met Gala to the Billboard charts, he's taking the language, culture, and sound of Punjab to the biggest stages in the world. In a rare English conversation, Diljit joined Tom Power to reflect on his journey from singing hymns at his local gurdwara in Punjab to becoming the first Punjabi artist to sell out Madison Square Gardens. They talk about his ambition, faith, and how he always knew he'd be famous.

Celebrated academic and Indigenous historian Georges E. Sioui introduces a new song, The Eyes of a Child, in Q's recurring New Music segment. His debut album, For All Tomorrows, is out now.

After 20 years on Broadway, Caissie Levy has finally won her first Tony Award. The Canadian actor and singer has made a name for herself both in New York and on the West End after starring in productions such as Frozen, Ghost, and Next to Normal. Fresh off her big win, she joins Tom Power to talk about her award-winning performance in Ragtime, and what it felt like to finally achieve a lifelong dream.

Klô has gone through some big changes since being shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize in 2021. She wrote her latest album, Abracadabra, after becoming a mother for the first time, which completely changed her relationship to music and the world. Klô joins Tom Power to discuss how she's rediscovering herself as an artist. Plus, she sets up a song, Lettre à une jeune poète, and talks about the challenges of being a francophone musician in Canada.

Lara St. John was sexually assaulted by her aged instructor when she was a teenager at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. After she went public in 2019, Lara was inundated with messages from others who said they had suffered similar abuse in the classical music world. Now she's telling their stories in a new documentary, Dear Lara. She joined Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about this darker side of classical music and the changes she hopes her film can help make.

In Q's recurring New Music segment, Nigerian Canadian R&B and soul musician, THEHONESTGUY, introduces his new song, Sugar Water. His new album, Don't Disturb the Groove, comes out in July.

Jack Antonoff is one of the most successful producers working today. Known for his work with Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Lorde and Sabrina Carpenter, he has crafted some of the biggest songs of the 21st century. As his career gets bigger and bigger, Jack has felt the need to chronicle his origin story to keep track of where he came from. Everyone for Ten Minutes is the new album from his band, Bleachers, that looks at his lineage and how leaving home at 15 to tour the country in a van impacted him. Jack joins Tom Power in the studio to talk about the new album and his production work.

Canadian Folk Music Award winner AHI performed his new song, Chosen, on stage at the FIFA World Cup 2026 countdown concert in Toronto. And if that moment wasn't special enough for the lifelong soccer fan, he got to do it with one of his idols, Wyclef Jean. AHI stopped by the studio to chat with guest host Angeline Tetteh-Wayoe about what it was like collaborating with the Fugees rapper.

One night, Jenn Harper had the most vivid dream of three smiling Indigenous girls covered in colourful lip glosses. That dream, along with her newfound sobriety, led her to launch the company Cheekbone Beauty, which aims to bring positive representation of Indigenous folks into the beauty space. Lauded as a trailblazer in both sustainability and diversity, Jenn is now one of the cosmetics industry's most influential Canadians, and her groundbreaking beauty brand is sold in Sephora locations across the country. Back in December, Jenn sat down with Tom Power to talk about her long, hard road to success, why Indigenous joy is the cornerstone of her business, and why representation is at the forefront of everything she does.

After 45 years together, the Canadian band Rheostatics decided they needed a new challenge. So they enlisted the help of Rush's Alex Lifeson, who joined them for four hours as they improvised music and spoken word pieces inspired by the Great Lakes. The only problem is they forgot to hit record. Dave Bidini and Kevin Hearn of Rheostatics sat down with Tom Power back in December to tell us what happened next, and how it all led to their new album, The Great Lakes Suite.

Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade is one of the most influential voices in modern Latin music. She tells Tom Power about the life-changing moments that shaped her career — from the robbery that led her to pick up a guitar, her time living in Canada, and how a song she wrote a decade ago became an anthem for anti-ICE protesters.

Pharis and Jason Romero are a folk/bluegrass duo behind both their Juno Award-winning music and their wildly in-demand banjos. In their workshop in the tiny, remote B.C. town of Horsefly, they make highly sought-after banjos, so coveted there are years-long waitlists for them. Pharis and Jason talk to Tom about raising their little family in the wilderness, the workshop and recording studio where the magic happens, and how a love story that started with music is now raising a sixth generation in a very special place.

It's an understatement to say Tatiana Maslany has range. She's known for playing 17 characters in the 2013 show, Orphan Black. Since then, she's acted in Marvel's She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, a couple Broadway plays, and a host of animated projects, horror films and other genre-bending works. Now, she stars in the dark comedy thriller, Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed, as a mother embroiled in a sex work scam turned murder investigation.

You might not know the name Annie Mumolo but chances are you have seen her work. She's co-written films with Kristen Wiig, including Bridesmaids and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar. Annie has been writing and performing all her life, but it's her latest breakout role in the HBO show Rooster that's got people talking. Annie sat down with Tom Power to talk about how much fun she had making that show, what it's like to act with Steve Carell, and her thoughts on the Bridesmaids phenomenon.

Toronto-born Mico introduces his new song, DREAMBOY, in Q's recurring New Music segment. His debut album, When the lights turn on, is out June 26.

Country music legend Vince Gill had more than a hundred unreleased songs stock-piled. When the Country Music Hall of Fame star realized that it's been 50 years since he began his career, it felt like the perfect time to share this music with his fans. Now, he's in the middle of a year-long project called 50 Years From Home, which involves releasing a new EP every month. He joins Tom Power to talk about what it's been like to reminisce as all these songs are put out into the world.

If you watched TV in the '90s in Canada, chances are you've seen Heritage Minutes. They are those 60-second dramatizations of Canadian history that would pop up like public service announcements during commercial breaks. From 2012 to 2021, Davida Aronovitch produced them. She has also edited the Canadian Encyclopedia and worked for the Department of Canadian Heritage. All this work inspired her new web series, Pioneer Girl. She tells guest host Garvia Bailey about the satirical show and how it has a lot to say about the way Canada constructs its history.

In the 1880s, journalist Nellie Bly faked insanity to reveal the treatment of women in an American asylum, and how many of the patients were not sick at all, but just trapped in a misogynist system. Now, a new opera is bringing that story to the stage and Governor General's Award-winning playwright Hannah Moscovitch is the librettist. She joins Tom Power to talk about the Luminato Festival production, and why Nellie Bly's story still resonates in the 21st century.

Dan Mintz has played Tina Belcher on Bob's Burgers for the last 16 seasons and counting. But before there was Tina, Dan worked primarily as a writer and stand-up comedian. This month, Dan is back with his first stand up special in over a decade, Dan Mintz: Well Rounded Entertainer. Dan talks to Tom Power about finding his voice in stand-up, his love of one-line comedy, and what it's like to voice a 13-year-old girl as a man in his 40s.

Audrey Hobert got her start co-writing massive hits with her best friend Gracie Abrams. It inspired Audrey to launch her own solo career with her debut album, Who's the Clown? Audrey joins Tom Power in-studio to talk about writing for others, the moment she realized she wanted to be an artist, and writing songs about struggling with your self-image and learning to love yourself.

Joseph Kidney is the 2026 recipient of the Canadian First Book Prize, handed out each year by the Griffin Poetry Prize for an outstanding first collection of poetry by a Canadian author. Joseph speaks to Tom Power about what that recognition means to him, as well as reads from his now award-winning collection, Devotional Forensics.

Broken Social Scene is back with a new album, Remember The Humans. Founding members Kevin Drew and Charles Spearin reflect on their early days making music as a loose collective of friends, and talk about why 2026 felt the right time to reunite and release new music.

Halifax's Wintersleep introduces their new song, Gale, in Q's recurring New Music segment. The band's new album, Wishing Moon, is out now.

Boi-1da is a Canadian producer who has found massive success all over the world crafting hits for the likes of Drake, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Eminem and so many more. He talks to Tom Power about teaming up with Nelly Furtado, The Tragically Hip, Alessia Cara, AP Dhillon and more Canadian icons for What If It All Goes Right, a collaborative record to support the youth organization, Canada Soccer.

Montreal band Bye Parula introduces their new song, Quand vient le soir, in Q's recurring New Music segment. The band's new album, Something Out Of Nothing, is out now.

Behind movies like The Wedding Planner, A Walk to Remember and Hairspray (2007) is the director Adam Shankman. This June, Adam's back with a campy comedy starring RuPaul and Drag Race alumni called STOP! THAT! TRAIN! What sets his latest film apart from his previous work is that it's his first time, as a queer director, directing an entirely queer-led cast. Adam stops by Q to talk about his love of “stupid” comedy, why STOP! THAT! TRAIN! deserves to be seen in theatres, and what it means to him to finally direct a movie led by queer actors.

Juno Award winner Divine Brown is giving flowers to one of her heroes, Minnie Riperton. Divine's live concert stage show, Lovin' You: The Minnie Riperton Story, is coming to Toronto's Luminato Festival this month. Though Minnie Riperton died when she was just 31, Divine tells Tom Power how the five-octave range singer was still able to make such an important impact on music, one that stretches right through to today.

Abel Selaocoe has been redefining the sound of the cello. The South African cellist and singer was in Canada recently, playing with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. He joined Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about blending African and classical sounds, and why he thinks music has the ability to destroy the idea of time.

Canadian music legend Joel Plaskett introduces his new song, Fill in the Blanks, in Q's recurring New Music segment. The song marks the 20th anniversary of his band, The Joel Plaskett Emergency.

After more than 30 years on screen, Katherine LaNasa is finally having a breakout moment with her Emmy-winning role on The Pitt. But the road wasn't easy. As she was preparing to take on the hit medical drama, she was also undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Back in February, Katherine sat down with guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about that health scare, her hard-fought early years as an actor, and what it means to reach a new level of recognition at this stage of her career.

On his album Pray for Me, Toronto-based R&B singer RAAHiiM straddles the line between his religious upbringing and a musical style that feels true to who he is. Back in February, he talked to guest host Garvia Bailey about the breakout year he's had since being named Apple Music Canada's Up Next Artist, and how he honours both his family roots and his creative identity through his music.

Andrea Martin is known for her work in Godspell (1972), SCTV, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and her Tony-winning performances in Pippin and My Favourite Year. She is now being honoured with the ICON Award from The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Canada. She joins Tom Power in-studio to look back on her long career.

Hardcore punk godfather Joe Keithley (a.k.a. Joey Shithead) of D.O.A. fame is the focus of a new documentary called Something Better Change. The documentary covers his impact on punk and his political work. Since 2018, Joe has been a city councillor in his hometown of Burnaby, B.C. He tells Tom Power about pioneering the hardcore sound, his life in politics, and what it means to truly be a punk.

Katie Dippold created a new TV series that puts a comedic spin on classic horror tropes. Widow's Bay is about a small island town off the coast of New England whose mayor is desperately trying to turn it into a tourist destination — despite the locals' belief that the island is cursed. Katie mainly comes from a comedy background, having written the Ghostbusters remake and The Heat, as well as for Parks and Recreation. She joins Tom Power to talk about how she's always been a fan of horror and why her comedy roots helped her write a scary show.

After reading Ariana Harwicz's novel, Die, My Love, in his book club, Martin Scorsese sent a copy to Jennifer Lawrence, telling her he imagined her as the main character. The Oscar-winning actor then starred alongside Robert Pattinson in the film adaptation of the novel, directed by Lynne Ramsay. The story follows a young mother struggling with her mental health after the birth of her first child. As a new mother herself, Jennifer decided this was the right project for her to jump back into acting following a break from Hollywood. Back in November, she joined Tom Power to tell him how she mentally prepared for this harrowing role, how she doesn't let her teen fame past define her, and why she stepped away from the spotlight after she started feeling more like a celebrity than an actor.

Casper TNG has been making waves in Toronto's underground hip-hop scene for many years. But as his music career was taking off, he was getting more and more involved in organized crime, which landed him in prison for three years. Now that he's out, he has a new perspective on his music, especially after becoming a father. His new single, The Market, is racking up millions of views on YouTube and TikTok, and has just gone gold in Canada. Casper joins Tom Power in-studio to talk about his journey and getting to this moment.

Italian-Irish comedian Vittorio Angelone was just in North America touring his new show, You Can't Say Nothing Any More. It's a look at whether comedians have a responsibility to speak out on topics and issues of the day. People have called Vittorio both a “woke snowflake” and a “right-wing edgelord.” Vittorio tells Q guest host Garvia Bailey why he likes that ambiguity around his comedy.

As a kid, Kane Parsons liked to 3D animate YouTube short films. When he stumbled upon a creepy image online called The Backrooms, it inspired him to create a short film about this spooky, liminal space in a vacant furniture store. His short caught the attention of A24, who hired Kane to direct the feature film, Backrooms, about this strange space. At 20-years-old, Kane is the youngest director in A24 history. He joins Tom Power in-studio to talk about making his feature debut and how he got here.

Paul Gross is taking on Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot this year at Ontario's Stratford Festival. You may know Paul as Mountie Constable Benton Fraser from Due South, or from his roles in Slings and Arrows, Republic of Doyle and Passchendaele. The Governor General's Award-winning actor and director joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about Waiting for Godot and why he wanted to take on the co-leading role of Vladimir. Paul also discusses why he thinks that this Beckett play is one of the single greatest creative achievements in human history.

Canadian singer-songwriter Daniela Andrade introduces her new song, Cohete, in Q's recurring New Music segment. Daniela's new album, Oda, is out now.