Podcast appearances and mentions of Tom Power

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.

Andrew Phung is hosting this year's Canadian Screen Awards, the country's version of the Oscars. He is an eight-time CSA winner for his roles on Kim's Convenience and Run the Burbs. Andrew joins Tom Power to talk about what he's most excited for as CSA host, and to play a little game of Getting to Know Q.

Colm Tóibín is one of Ireland's most renowned living authors. Novels like Brooklyn, The Master and Nora Webster have firmly placed him on the literary map. Now, he is back with a new short story collection, The News from Dublin. He joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about how the loss of his father at age 12 prompted him to write, and why he needs to start a story with an image.

Julie Kim gave up life in the corporate world to follow her comedy dreams. Now, the Vancouver comedian has toured with Ronny Chieng and Rick Mercer, and written for shows like Kim's Convenience and Run the Burbs. She also penned Simu Liu's famous “I am Canadian” parody speech at the 2022 Junos. Julie joins Tom Power in the Q studio to tell him why she doesn't regret pursuing her comedy career, despite the very dodgy advice she received when she was first starting out.

Jera Wolfe is a Canadian dancer and choreographer whose world premiere mainstage production, Kismet, will open with The National Ballet of Canada later this month. Jera speaks with Tom Power about the themes of destiny and ambition in Kismet, what he looks for in the music he works with, and why it's okay if audiences don't fully “get” contemporary ballet.

For someone who was resistant to host a game show in the first place, Howie Mandel has risen the ranks as one of the most popular and long-standing judges on both America's Got Talent and Canada's Got Talent. He talks to Tom Power about what he sees in these performers and how he is trying to encourage them to find joy on stage, even when it feels messy.

Comedian Robby Hoffman's career keeps growing, with her memorable roles in hit shows like Rooster and Hacks. When Tom Power spoke to Robby in 2025, she was just nominated for an Emmy for her role in Hacks, and her Just For Laughs show in Montreal had sold out. But Robby hasn't had a conventional path into comedy. From leaving an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in Brooklyn as a kid to living in Montreal with her nine siblings, Robby tells Tom Power about how she forged her own path.

Sheng Wang is a comedian and writer from Houston who has spent 20 years quietly refining his craft at comedy clubs in San Francisco. His second Netflix special, Purple (directed by longtime friend Ali Wong), is a collection of jokes about the small, mundane parts of life that most people don't give a second thought. He talks to Tom Power about his comedic inspiration, the process of writing a good joke and his love of a botanical garden.

Devin Cuddy is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter and the son of Blue Rodeo front man Jim Cuddy. His roots-driven sound draws from country, blues, jazz and classic North American songwriting traditions. He recently released his fifth project, Livin' Hard Ain't Easy. He talks to Tom Power about his new project, why he wants more songs about Winnipeg and how he grew to love the piano.

Canadian content creator Jasmeet Raina is back with the third season of Late Bloomer, a half-hour comedy series inspired by his own life as a turban-wearing Punjabi Canadian millennial. He talks to Tom Power about learning the world of television, how he's evolved from feeling like an “imposter” in the industry, and what it's like to receive over a dozen Canadian Screen Award nominations for a show he fought to make happen.

Arizona O'Neill is a Montreal-based writer and illustrator whose work has appeared in numerous magazines and outlets. In her debut graphic novel Opioids and Organs, she takes a deep dive into the history and ethics of organ donation and transplantation. Arizona tells Tom Power about how her father's death and subsequent organ donation a decade ago led her down the path to making this book. She also discusses the creative influence of both her parents and how the process of creating Opioids and Organs helped her process her grief and anger.

Since the 1960s, Bruce Allen has been one of the key architects of this nation's music industry. His management roster reads like a history of Canadian popular music: Bryan Adams, Anne Murray, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Michael Bublé. As he receives a Lifetime Achievement Award at Toronto's Departure Festival this month, Allen tells Tom Power about his journey from Vancouver club booker to industry titan, as well as his reputation as an outspoken agitator that's generated his share of controversies.

Chloe Tang began her music journey as a classically trained pianist and vocalist. But the Canadian musician yearned to be the next Avril Lavigne. When she moved to L.A. to pursue her pop music dreams, her parents weren't supportive. But the risk paid off: Dua Lipa asked Tang to open for her. Now, Tang is a fully independent artist with over 10 million streams of her music. She joins Tom Power to talk about opening for Dua Lipa, embracing who she really is in her music, and being highlighted by the Departure Festival as one of their 2026 Rising Sound Artists.

Ebril is an Iraqi Canadian artist who blends a range of influences into her music. Her debut album, In Copula, took six years to complete because she taught herself to produce, sing and write songs by watching YouTube tutorials. But it paid off: the opening track, Stranger in You, has taken on a life of its own, surpassing one billion views on TikTok. Ebril talks to Tom Power about her personal growth journey, learning how to play several instruments and her song's viral moment.

Machel Montano is known as the King of Soca, and is widely credited with bringing Soca music to the global stage. In 2025, the Trinidadian singer, songwriter and producer became the first Soca artist to perform on NPR's Tiny Desk, garnering over a million views. But he also took time off from his music career to get a master's degree in Carnival Studies from the University of Trinidad and Tobago, and has a wealth of knowledge on the history of Soca. His new documentary, Like Ah Boss: Journey of a Soca King, follows his illustrious 40-year career from child star in Trinidad to global icon. Machel joins Tom Power to discuss the history of Carnival and what's next for his career, as well as settle some Caribbean food debates.

When the Nova Scotian writer Graeme Bezanson sat down to write his new collection of poetry about boyhood and toxic masculinity, he drew inspiration from two unlikely sources: the changing positions of Elon Musk's Starlink satellites and an interview transcript between manosphere influencers Tucker Carlson and Andrew Tate. Graeme sat down with Tom Power to discuss his debut poetry collection Ultra Blue, how he examines the emotional lives of boys and men, and raising a son in a culture of toxic masculinity.

Sandy Pandya is a music industry veteran who has managed musicians like Serena Ryder and Jully Black. At this year's Junos, she was honoured with the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award for shaping the Canadian music industry. She joins Tom Power to talk about growing up in Regina, running a café which became a hub for artists in the city, and founding ArtHaus, a multi-purpose live-work space and record label where artist mental health and career longevity is the goal.

For three decades, crime writer and forensic anthropologist Kathy Reichs has been writing novels that bring the science behind solving crimes to the fore. She's the bestselling author of the Temperance Brennan series, which are the inspiration for the TV show Bones. Now, Kathy is about to release the 24th novel in the series, Evil Bones. She joins Tom Power to tell us about the book and the surprising reason she started writing in the first place.

In just four years since Aysanabee left his day job to pursue music, he has played over 400 shows, toured all over the world and was shortlisted for the Polaris Music Prize. He also made history as the first Indigenous artist to win the Juno awards for both alternative album of the year and songwriter of the year. Aysanabee joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about his new EP Timelines, his recent Juno wins and the moment that made him quit his day job and pursue a career in music.

Arlo Parks is a Grammy-nominated artist from London, whose career launched after she submitted her demos to the BBC. Since then, she's opened for artists like Billie Eilish and Harry Styles, and even co-wrote a song for Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter record. Life has been busy for Arlo thanks to all the success, but she knew she needed to take a step back to enjoy being a 20-something. So she did, and her latest album was inspired by the experiences she had during that time. Arlo Parks joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about how diving into the world of dance music and club culture helped her create her new album, Ambiguous Desire.

Country musician Owen Riegling went from playing the local pub in his hometown of Mildmay, Ont. for his buddies, to hitting the stage at iconic venues like the Grand Ole Opry and Massey Hall in just a couple years. His new album contends with that feeling of hitting the stratosphere, while also missing home — and the people who make it home — at the same time. He sits down with Tom Power to talk about what his own small town means to him and his music.

Rebecca and Tori chat about Wes Anderson's 2025 film, 'The Phoenician Scheme.' We discuss what makes the movie Wes Andersony, the evolution of the relationship between the principle characters, and the actor performances. We experienced some technical difficulties right at the end, so the episode seems to end a bit abruptly.MusicApache Rock Instrumental | by Sound Atelier; licensed from JamendoClipAnderson, Wes and Roman Coppola. 2025. 'The Phoenician Scheme.' Directed by Wes Anderson. Universal City (CA): Focus Features, LLS. Streamed on Fandango.Sound EffectsShining Star Flourish: Sound Effect by u_it78ck90s3 from PixabaySpotlight Flourish: Sound Effect by StudioKolomna from PixabayTechnical Difficulties: Sound Effect by Sound InstantsExplicitWe swear and discuss pornography.SourcesRaree show - WikipediaPEEP SHOW - HistoryMayhem Mendes | 24 May 2025 | 'The Phoenician Scheme' - Behind the Scenes | YouTubeQ with Tom Power | 5 Jun 2025 | Wes Anderson Dedicated 'The Phoenician Scheme' to His 'Spectacularly Intimidating' Father-in-Law | YouTubeVanity Fair | 6 Jun 2025 | Every We Anderson Movie, Explained by Wes Anderson | YouTube

When Alberta filmmaker Jody Wilson was working on visual effects for CSI Miami, she didn't know the Hollywood gig was also laying the groundwork for her future in filmmaking. From The Avengers to The Last of Us, her on-set observations all came in handy when she finally decided to make her own feature film, The Bearded Girl. It's a coming-of-age story with a twist and, as Jody tells Tom Power, its extremely niche main character is what makes the story universal.

Arkells are at a stage of success where they can easily sell out large amphitheatres across Canada. But with their new record Between Us, the band has chosen to do something different with the tour: city takeovers. Instead of booking large venues for one night, the boys are spending multiple days in Canadian cities, playing smaller stages and more intimate shows. Arkells frontman Max Kerman and guitarist Mike DeAngelis tell Tom Power why they wanted to replicate what it felt like in the early days, and what both they and the fans get out of small, up-close-and-personal shows.

For nearly 40 years, Ziggy Marley has built a legendary career across music, writing and philanthropy. Now, the eldest son of reggae icon Bob Marley returns with Brightside, his ninth studio album, which was produced entirely by him and his brother Stephen. He chats with Q's Tom Power about what happens when he records with instruments tuned to a lower frequency, the spiritual place he seeks out when he makes music, and the first song he ever dedicated to his late father.

After winning the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for a second time, Jeremy Dutcher decided to do something he's never done before: score a film. He composed music for the Canadian thriller At The Place of Ghosts, which follows two estranged Mi'kmaq brothers who become haunted by a malevolent spirit and must reunite to face their demons. Jeremy sits down with Tom Power to discuss the importance of keeping language alive, and what it was like working with film director Bretten Hannam.

Brittany Allen has been a working actor and composer for over 15 years. Her breakout role as Marissa on the long-running soap All My Children earned her a Daytime Emmy Award. Now, she's getting a lot of critical acclaim for her role as a cancer patient on the second season of the hit show The Pitt. She joins Tom Power to talk about her acting journey, and how playing a cancer patient has impacted her sense of mortality.

During the pandemic, Kashus Culpepper learned to play the guitar on YouTube, and soon enough was performing covers for his fellow sailors in the United States Navy. Now, after sharing some of his covers online and moving to Nashville, Kashus's soulful blend of Southern sounds has caught the attention of music veterans like John Mayer and Elton John. He joins Tom Power to talk about his unique journey to becoming a full-time musician, touring with Darius Rucker, and his debut album Act 1.

The Big Five answers the most pressing question of our time: what are the “Big 5” of any given category? Not the best 5. Not the top 5. Not anyone's favourite 5. But objectively, the Big 5. In each episode, Donovan Woods, Tom Power, and a celebrity guest tackle new topics and debate things like: what are the Big 5 farm animals? Types of hats? Slang terms for “butt”? Ways to cook a potato? Guys named Paul? Guests in this season include Vivek Shraya, Jordan Canning, William Prince, Lindsay Ell, Elamin Abdelmahmoud and more!More episodes of The Big Five are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/TB5xBN

The Big Five answers the most pressing question of our time: what are the “Big 5” of any given category? Not the best 5. Not the top 5. Not anyone's favourite 5. But objectively, the Big 5. In each episode, Donovan Woods, Tom Power, and a celebrity guest tackle new topics and debate things like: what are the Big 5 farm animals? Types of hats? Slang terms for “butt”? Ways to cook a potato? Guys named Paul? Guests in this season include Vivek Shraya, Jordan Canning, William Prince, Lindsay Ell, Elamin Abdelmahmoud and more!More episodes of The Big Five are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/TB5xTD

The Big Five answers the most pressing question of our time: what are the “Big 5” of any given category? Not the best 5. Not the top 5. Not anyone's favourite 5. But objectively, the Big 5. In each episode, Donovan Woods, Tom Power, and a celebrity guest tackle new topics and debate things like: what are the Big 5 farm animals? Types of hats? Slang terms for “butt”? Ways to cook a potato? Guys named Paul? Guests in this season include Vivek Shraya, Jordan Canning, William Prince, Lindsay Ell, Elamin Abdelmahmoud and more!More episodes of The Big Five are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/TB5xQ

Eight-time Grammy winner Kacey Musgraves is back with her seventh album, Middle of Nowhere. The record looks at where she's from, transitions and being comfortable alone. Kacey joins Tom Power in the Q studio to chat about the new album, what it was like growing up in Texas, and her breakthrough fourth album Golden Hour.

Without Tiga, the vibrant dance party scene in Montreal wouldn't exist. The DJ and record producer pioneered the first club, first parties and the overall EDM explosion in that city. Tiga tells Tom Power about his new record, his early childhood sneaking into raves in Goa, India, and what it's like to see the world through its nightlife.

British Columbia's Ora Cogan just released a new record, Hard Hearted Woman. She tells Tom Power about her spiritual approach to songwriting and what inspired her to write about anti-trans legislation in her new song, Honey.

After being the lead sex work consultant on the film Anora, Andrea Werhun tapped that film's writer-director Sean Baker to executive produce her new autobiographical hybrid documentary. Modern Whore is part-talking head, part-reenactment and part-slap stick comedy, telling Andrea's story from student to escort to exotic dancer. She sits down with Tom Power to talk about why she doesn't see herself as a victim or a villain, but rather a member of a community — and service industry — whose voices are rarely heard.

The Big Five answers the most pressing question of our time: what are the “Big 5” of any given category? Not the best 5. Not the top 5. Not anyone's favourite 5. But objectively, the Big 5. In each episode, Donovan Woods, Tom Power, and a celebrity guest tackle new topics and debate things like: what are the Big 5 farm animals? Types of hats? Slang terms for “butt”? Ways to cook a potato? Guys named Paul? Guests in this season include Vivek Shraya, Jordan Canning, William Prince, Lindsay Ell, Elamin Abdelmahmoud and more!More episodes of The Big Five are available wherever you get your podcasts, and here: https://link.mgln.ai/TB5xBG

Canadian writer-director Sophy Romvari's debut feature film, Blue Heron, follows a Hungarian-Canadian family as they relocate to Vancouver Island in the '90s, and struggle to deal with the eldest son's increasingly dangerous behavioural issues. She joins Q host Tom Power to talk about the success of her semi-autobiographical feature, the current state of the Canadian independent film industry, and why she finds making personal work so fulfilling.

At 85, Ringo Starr shows no sign of slowing down. The English musician's new album Long Long Road is a return to country music — a genre he's loved since he was a kid. Ringo joins Tom Power to talk about finding country music in Liverpool in the '60s, returning to the genre now, and the upcoming Beatles biopic featuring Barry Keoghan as a young Ringo Starr.

American-Canadian actor Jean Yoon, best known for playing Mrs. Kim on the beloved series Kim's Convenience, is back on stage in a new play. It's called Dance Nation, and it's a dark yet funny take on adolescence, girlhood and female rage. Jean sits down with Tom Power to talk about why she walked away from acting in the early days of her career, the complicated legacy of Kim's Convenience, and the joy of live performance.

Following her buzziest — and busiest — awards season yet, Chase Infiniti is starring in Hulu's The Testaments. Based on Margaret Atwood's novel of the same name, the TV series is a coming-of-age drama set in Gilead, 15 years after the events of The Handmaid's Tale. Chase sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about stepping into Margaret Atwood's world, what she learned on the set of One Battle After Another, and her love of Grease and K-pop choreography.

When reading classic literature or watching Shakespeare plays, Erin Shields often finds herself drawn to the supporting characters we don't hear much from — especially the women. In her new play Mary, Mary, Mary, Mary, the Governor General's Award-winning playwright considers what happens when four women who witnessed miracles are finally allowed to speak. She joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about the ridiculous amount of Marys in the Bible, and why she's interested in expanding existing literature with a feminist twist.

Montreal's Edwin Raphael has opened for acts like Noah Kahan, and earned millions of streams from audiences all over the world. But for his latest project, inspiration struck rather close to home — in his dreams, to be exact. He sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about why he wanted to explore the reflections that can come from dreams, and to set up a song called Hymn for a Dragonfly, from his new album I Know A Garden.

There's a very personal story behind P.E.I. singer-songwriter Jenn Grant's new song, Jim Cuddy Dress. Jenn sits down with Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about meeting Jim Cuddy from Blue Rodeo at the 2012 Juno Awards with her late mother, how she honoured one of her final wishes, and all the ways her mother turned some tough times in Jenn's childhood into adventures.

Canadian filmmaker Chandler Levack's debut film I Like Movies was a huge hit, earning praise from folks like Adam Sandler and establishing Chandler as one to watch. Now, Chandler is back with her second film, called Mile End Kicks, that taps into her real-life story as a young music journalist coming up in Montreal. Chandler joins Tom Power in the Q studio to talk about mining her own life for art, depicting 2011's Montreal, and working with Adam Sandler on her next film.

Or Schraiber and Bobbi Jene Smith are two of the most important names in contemporary dance. They're also a married couple. Or and Bobbi join Tom Power to tell us how their creative and personal partnership began while they were dancers at the Batsheva Dance Company, how the Gaga dance style influences their work, and their Canadian debut at the National Ballet of Canada, Procession.

Nashville singer-songwriter Maren Morris is back with a new album, Dreamsicle. It's her first release after her divorce last year, but it's not just a breakup record. It's an examination of the physical, mental and emotional changes that happen after a traumatic personal event. Maren joins Tom Power to discuss Dreamsicle, her 20 years of making music, and the importance of the collaborators on the record.

What happens when you start to feel anxiety and self-doubt in the middle of chasing your dreams? The Canadian folk trio The Pairs don't necessarily have the answer, but they are working through these feelings on their new album, Together on a Rock. While their songs don't come with perfect endings, the stories they tell are incredibly honest and vulnerable. Renée Coughlin and Hillary Watson of The Pairs join Tom Power to set up their devastating new track, Past My Prime.

You don't become one of the most successful pianists of our time without a lot of practice. That's something Lang Lang knows all about. Six years after the release of his celebrated record Piano Book, the virtuoso Chinese pianist is back with a new album, Piano Book 2. It's designed to inspire people of all ages, levels and backgrounds. Lang Lang sits down with Tom Power at the Glenn Gould piano in our studio to discuss the album, and his life in music. He tells us about the teacher who didn't believe in him, how he got past that early rejection, and how he found the right people to support him.

Greg Wells is a Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated record producer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and mix engineer who was recently made a Member of the Order of Canada. He sits down with Tom Power to talk about his early days playing in k.d. lang's band, producing and writing hits for artists like Adele, John Legend, Ariana Grande, Celine Dion and Taylor Swift, and why he's spent the last few years converting an old church in rural Newfoundland into a community music hub.