Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

Last year, Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul, Breaking Bad, Mr. Show) sat down with Tom Power to tell us how embarrassment has fueled some of the best decisions in his life and career. He reflects on chasing the things that scared him most — from early improv and groundbreaking sketch comedy to becoming an Emmy-nominated dramatic actor. But his biggest risk yet? Becoming an action star in his 60s.

Toronto musician Emily Steinwall grew up on classic rock, but her teenage years brought a new obsession: jazz saxophone. That passion led her to study under the legendary Juno Award-winning saxophonist Kirk MacDonald, who became a lifelong mentor to her. So years later, when it came time to record her latest album, Emily knew exactly who to call. She joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about her collaboration with Kirk and the enduring power of a musical education. Her new album, But, there’s beauty in the fall from Grace, is out now.

Sanna Wani’s debut poetry collection, My Grief, the Sun, won the 2023 Trillium Book Award for Poetry. Now, she’s returned with her follow-up, Lantern. Sanna sits down with guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to discuss the new book and read one of its poems.

Lana Condor (To All the Boys I've Loved Before, X-Men: Apocalypse) isn’t afraid of switching things up and trying something new. Her latest role is in the live-action/animation film Coyote vs. Acme, which takes place in the Looney Tunes cinematic universe. She stars as a young law intern who helps Wile E. Coyote as he sues the Acme Corporation for selling him faulty products. Lana sits down with Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the film, how her parents inspire her as an artist, and how she went from a quiet, rural life in Washington state to one of Hollywood’s busiest stars.

Growing up in Scarborough, Tyrique Clarke, also known as TyriqueOrDie, drew early inspiration from rap heavyweights like Lil Wayne and MF Doom. But after immersing himself in Toronto’s underground rave culture as an adult, his creative trajectory shifted. Today, Tyrique blends sharp rap delivery with high-energy electronic and club influences. He joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to discuss how MuchMusic and rave culture sparked his musical evolution, and the story behind his latest single, Chanel.

Sami Landri is the proudest Acadian you’ll ever meet. The “trash-chic” Canadian drag queen has reached millions of fans with her Chiac accent and absurdly hilarious TikToks. After becoming a fan favourite on Canada’s Drag Race Season 6, Sami returned to compete as a finalist on Canada’s Drag Race All Stars. She joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about her Drag Race journey, her approach to drag, and how she’s helping pioneer a new Acadian drag scene in Moncton, New Brunswick.

The Philadelphia band SNACKTIME went from playing free shows in a city park to performing at some of the most coveted music festivals in North America. After selling more than 900 tickets to their first headlining show, the band’s momentum only grew. They’ve performed alongside Lauryn Hill, played a 76ers halftime show, and taken the stage at Lollapalooza, the Newport Folk Festival, South by Southwest and the Winnipeg Folk Festival. Band members Sam Gellerstein and Nico Bryant join Q guest host Talia Schlanger to talk about the inspiring ethos behind the band’s creation, their journey from Philadelphia’s Rittenhouse Square to major stages across North America, and what keeps them moving forward. Plus, they introduce their new single, Can’t Imagine Why You’d Stay.

Amalie Atkins is a multi-disciplinary Saskatchewan-based artist whose first feature documentary, Agatha’s Almanac, is a love letter to “solitude, seeds, and slow living.” It tells the story of Amalie’s now 92-year-old aunt, Agatha Bock, who lives on her ancestral farm in southern Manitoba, where she spends her days cultivating her garden. The film looks at how Agatha lives a fiercely independent and intentional lifestyle that’s both free from modern technology and deeply rooted in nature. Amalie joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about capturing her aunt’s quietly radical way of life.

Some artists do their best work alone. Others thrive on collaboration. Grammy-winning bassist, producer and singer-songwriter Thundercat — also known as Stephen Bruner — has always lived in both worlds. But coming from a musical lineage where music feels more like a conversation between artists, collaboration has become central to his creative life. His latest album, Distracted, features collaborations with Willow, A$AP Rocky, Tame Impala and, most importantly, his late friend Mac Miller. Thundercat joins Q guest host Ali Hassan to talk about a song he and Mac recorded together before Mac’s death in 2018, the memories attached to it, and why he felt the time was finally right to share it with the world.

Michaela Slinger is a Canadian singer-songwriter based in Vancouver who had an epiphany while listening to Q with Tom Power on CBC. She joins guest host Garvia Bailey to tell us how our show inspired her new album, Green and Trying.

If you’ve watched TV or gone to the movies at any point over the last 25 years, you’ve probably seen Will Forte. The actor and comedian is known for his work on Saturday Night Live, MacGruber, The Last Man on Earth and The Four Seasons. Now, he stars in Coyote vs. Acme, a new Looney Tunes film that follows Wile E. Coyote as he attempts to sue the Acme Corporation for selling him faulty products. Will joins guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to talk about the film’s unlikely journey to the screen, from being shelved indefinitely to being rescued after a passionate fan campaign. Plus, he looks back on some of the most delightfully weird highlights of his career.

Martin Andrijasevic and Hamzah El-Amad, best known for their YouTube channel Slushy Noobz, have experienced a meteoric rise since beginning their collaboration three years ago. Earlier this summer, they livestreamed their way across Canada, introducing their Gen Z audience to some of the country’s biggest attractions, overlooked destinations and classic tourist locales. Martin and Hamzah sit down with Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about their eight-stop Canada tour, their approach to their work, and what they’ve come to realize about this country.

Seven years after her last album, Sara Bareilles is back with Good Grief — a record born out of some of the hardest years of her life. The two-time Grammy winner, actor and Broadway lyricist lost two close friends, went through years of IVF, and found herself asking what we hold on to when the people we love are gone. Now, she’s turned those experiences into songs about memory, friendship, loss and resilience. Sara joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about finding hope on the other side of grief.

At first glance, punk and folk seem to live in two different worlds. But look below the surface and you’ll find the two genres have more in common than you might think. Nova Scotia folk duo Mama’s Broke (Amy Lou Keeler and Lisa Maria) sit down with Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about their new album, Reunion, and the kinship between punk and folk. 

Yesterday, the world lost one of country music’s greatest legends, Dolly Parton, who died at age 80 in Nashville. A few years ago, Dolly spoke with Tom Power about her extraordinary career, how growing up in a family of 12 kids turned her into a country icon, and the stories behind her best-loved songs, like Jolene, I Will Always Love You and Coat of Many Colors. In memory of Dolly Parton, we revisit that conversation.

Sometimes the songs just stop coming. Simone Schmidt, the songwriter behind Fiver, found themselves unable to write before finding their way back to song through an unexpected metaphor. Years after a psychic gave them a ritual to clear their apartment of "stuck energy," Simone realized they needed to do the same thing with their mind. They started sorting through old melodies, unfinished songs and ideas to create their latest album, Cleaning House. In this conversation with Q guest host Garvia Bailey, Simone reflects on their creative block, why they reject diaristic songwriting, and how the best songs leave space for listeners to find their own meaning.

Jean-Michel Blais has been a celebrated figure in the post-classical piano world since the release of his critically acclaimed debut album in 2016. This fall, he’s releasing a new concept album, mirador, inspired by his childhood memories and personal journey as a queer person living with Tourette syndrome. Ahead of the album’s release, he joins Q guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about the shift from minimalism to something he calls “generous maximalism," and reflect on how his childhood influenced his new album.

Justine Williamson and Greg Vardy are the Canadian sketch comedy duo behind Tracy and Martina, two fun-loving best friends from Cape Breton. Those characters got their start on YouTube, where their sketches racked up hundreds of thousands of views. Since then, Tracy and Martina have appeared on CBC Comedy, Trailer Park Boys+ (formerly SwearNet), and even landed their own Christmas special. Now, they’re releasing their first movie, Tracy & Martina: Goin’ Out West, which hits streaming services this September. They joined Q guest host Gill Deacon to discuss the origins of Tracy and Martina, how they stumbled into making a feature film, and what it was like to head out West.

It’s been 10 years since the iconic Canadian band The Tragically Hip performed together for the last time with their fearless frontman and friend, Gord Downie. To commemorate the anniversary, the band is releasing a live album documenting the group’s final tour, alongside a CBC re-broadcast of their historic 2016 farewell concert in their hometown of Kingston, Ont. The Hip band members Rob Baker and Paul Langlois join Tom Power to reflect on that final concert, what they miss most about playing with Gord, and how they remember him now, 10 years on.

When acclaimed playwright, actor and theatre director Jovanni Sy went back to school a few years ago, he was told to direct something funny. He originally wanted to take on The Way of the World — William Congreve’s British Restoration comedy from 1700. But over time, that morphed into a modern-day, fast-paced Asian rom-com set in Singapore. It’s called The Tao of the World, and it opens at the Stratford Festival tonight. Jovanni joins guest host Garvia Bailey in the Q studio to explain how and why that all happened.