Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

One night in 2019, Paul Simon had a dream telling him to work on a new album called “Seven Psalms.” That led him to contemplating big existential questions about his beliefs. Tom visited Paul at the legendary musician’s home near Austin, Texas — in the studio where he recorded “Seven Psalms” — for a rare sit-down chat about the album.

It takes an experienced director like Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner 2049, Arrival, Prisoners) to tackle a project like the sci-fi epic “Dune.” Denis joined Tom to discuss his lifelong love of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel, and what it’s like to adapt a book that’s long been considered "unfilmable.”

Given his operatic, maximalist and pop-centered career, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that Rufus Wainwright comes from one of the royal families of folk music. On his latest album, “Folkocracy,” Rufus takes a look back at his folk roots. He tells guest host Talia Schlanger about his earliest musical memories and shares the story behind his new album.

Nonso Amadi is the Nigerian Canadian musician making waves globally for his music that fuses Afrobeat and R&B. He’s performed all over the world and has racked up millions of streams, all before the release of his debut album. Nonso tells guest host Talia Schlanger about his unique sound, how watching his sisters dance to MTV made him fall in love with music, and how he made the jump from chemical engineering student to releasing his debut record, “When It Blooms.”

Seth Rogen (Superbad, Pineapple Express, Knocked Up) talks to Tom about his debut book, “Yearbook,” which features a collection of hilarious personal essays about his early life in Canada and his adventures in Hollywood.

When Nickelback released its 10th studio album, “Get Rollin',” lead singer Chad Kroeger and guitarist Ryan Peake sat down with Tom to talk about the band's induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the people who backed them from day one, and the song that launched a thousand memes: “Photograph.”

The director Emma Seligman’s “Bottoms” is an unabashedly queer romp starring Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) and Rachel Sennott (Shiva Baby, Bodies Bodies Bodies). They play high school best friends who hatch a scheme to win their cheerleader crushes by starting an all-girl fight club. Emma tells Tom about making the new no holds barred teen comedy.

The author Zalika Reid-Benta was only 28 when she took the book industry by storm. Her debut book, “Frying Plantain,” was longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize. But here’s the thing: Zalika almost didn’t finish that book after some initial feedback deemed the manuscript “too Jamaican” and “too Canadian.” Now, she’s back with her second book and debut novel, “River Mumma” — a fantasy that unequivocally pays homage to her roots. She talks to Tom about her new novel and how her unwavering commitment to her roots paid off.

Over the years, Pamela Anderson’s story has seemingly been told by everyone but herself. Earlier this year, she decided to take back authorship of her life with a memoir (“Love, Pamela”) and Netflix documentary (“Pamela, A Love Story”). Pam sat down with Tom in studio to share her story in her own words and set the record straight.

For decades, Shania Twain has been inspiring fans with empowering anthems like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman!” and “That Don’t Impress Me Much.” Tom spoke with Shania back when the documentary about her life, “Not Just a Girl,” came out on Netflix. Shania talks about her humble beginnings in Timmins, Ontario, and the hard lessons she's learned about life and love. Plus, it’s hard to pin down King Cruff’s music as it seamlessly blends hip-hop, dancehall, Afrobeats and reggae. London, Ontario’s King Cruff will tell you about his hit single “Soufflé” and how his grandfather, reggae legend Bob Marley, has influenced his approach to music and life.

Tim McGraw, one of the biggest country stars on earth, is back with his 16th studio album, “Standing Room Only.” Tim talks to Tom about his career, meeting his dad for the first time as a teenager, and how he knew Taylor Swift was going to be big the first time he met her.

Singer-songwriter Feist on her latest album, “Multitudes,” what it was like becoming a new mom during the pandemic, and how her life changed after her song “1234” was featured in an iPod commercial in 2007. Plus, Charlotte Cardin performs “Next to You” off her Juno-winning sophomore album, “99 Nights.”

Grammy-winning rapper and producer Wyclef Jean (Fugees) joins Tom Power to reflect on his career and the big hits he’s produced for some of the most influential artists of the last three decades.

Sarah Polley’s Oscar-winning film “Women Talking” is a powerful story about three generations of women who sit down to debate their future after realizing they and their daughters have been regularly drugged and sexually assaulted by the men in their colony. Sarah tells Tom about her approach to adapting works of fiction, what it was like stepping back from the film industry after a concussion, and how she used her experience as a child actor to create the best environment possible for the children on the set of “Women Talking.” Plus, Celeigh Cardinal is a Juno-winning singer-songwriter who’s been praised for her soulful torch songs tinged with blues and R&B. She tells guest host Talia Schlanger the story behind her new song “Over Before It Began.”

John Legend is back with a new double album, Legend. He joined Tom Power for a feature interview about the record, his musical roots and what keeps him creating.

Fifteen-time Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, actor, producer and activist Alicia Keys tells Tom how an appearance on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” changed her life, what happened when she asked Prince’s permission to perform one of his songs, and what she learned about herself when writing her memoir “More Myself.”

If you know songs like “I Want It That Way,” “…Baby One More Time,” or “Blinding Lights,” then you’re already familiar with the work of Max Martin. Max is a super producer, known for writing some of the biggest songs of the last three decades. In a rare career-spanning conversation, Max tells Tom about his process for writing a hit song and collaborating with some of the world’s biggest stars, and what it’s like to have his music in the hit Broadway musical “& Juliet.” Plus, when Toronto-based R&B artist Erez Zobary isn’t writing and releasing music, she’s working as a teacher at a local high school. She talks to guest host Talia Schlanger about how she balances being an educator and a musician, and how her two biggest musical inspirations — Stevie Wonder and Amy Winehouse — influenced the sound on her new album, “Healthy Habits!”

Carly Rae Jepsen is known for her upbeat brand of pop music that looks at love, life's little joys and heartbreak through danceable melodies and catchy hooks. But when the pandemic hit, Carly found herself coping with a type of loneliness that inspired a whole new sound – resulting in her latest album, “The Loneliest Time.” She tells Tom about making the album and reflects on 10 years of her first hit song, “Call Me Maybe.” Plus, Montreal-based singer Bells Larsen is gearing up to release his sophomore album, “If I Was, I Am,” later this month. While it promises to feature the same tender lyricism and intimate sound as his debut, the record is Bells Larsen’s first since transitioning. He’ll preview the song “Ten Hands” off the album and talk about singing with his new baritone voice.

In a Canadian exclusive interview, Bruce Springsteen talks about his latest album of '60s and '70s soul covers, “Only the Strong Survive,” and how soul music shaped him as a performer and a songwriter.

You might know Tom Holland best as the web-slinging superhero in Marvel's “Spider-Man,” but now he’s taken on a new role in hopes of showing audiences a different side of himself. Tom talks to Tom Power about starring in the intense new miniseries "The Crowded Room," how he never meant to become an actor, and the unimaginable fame that comes with the role of Spider-Man.