Q: The Podcast From Cbc Radio

Kathleen Edwards is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose lyrics are full of straight talk and sharp comebacks. But it took a while for her to get comfortable with having tough conversations. On her latest record, “Billionnaire,” Kathleen reflects on the last five years in which she sold a business, got married and moved twice. She tells Tom Power how these major life changes have made her more courageous, why she’s choosing to not be self-deprecating anymore, and how working with Jason Isbell taught her to stop overthinking her music.

Caity Gyorgy is a Juno-winning jazz singer who’s originally from Calgary. She’s just released a brand new album, “Caity Gyrogy With Strings,” but Tom Power caught up with her during her last album cycle for “Hello! How Are You?” She joined him to talk about her influences and her love of scatting.

We’re remembering Canadian icon Graham Greene (Dances With Wolves, The Green Mile, Wind River), who died yesterday at the age of 73. Graham was one of the most recognizable Indigenous actors in North America. He was recently honoured with a Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award from the Governor General's Awards, which recognized his prolific career on stage and screen. In this career-spanning interview from June of this year, Graham spoke with Tom Power about the incredible work ethic he developed during his early days as a roadie, how he learned Lakota for “Dances With Wolves,” his Oscar nomination and his advice to up-and-coming actors.

In “Andor” — the latest series in the “Star Wars” franchise — actor Stellan Skarsgård (Dune, Nymphomaniac, Mamma Mia!) plays Luthen Rael, a charming but ruthless rebel leader who fronts as an antiques dealer. Earlier this year, Stellan sat down with Tom Power to talk about the new season of “Andor” and why he’s drawn to morally complex characters. Plus, he shared a beautiful story about his time working with Robin Williams in Toronto on “Good Will Hunting.”

A few years ago, cartoonist and writer Gabrielle Drolet developed a condition that made her unable to use her hands. It kept getting worse over time, and as Gabrielle searched for a diagnosis, she also had to find new ways to make art. She joined Tom Power to talk about her new memoir, “Look Ma, No Hands,” which tells the story of an artist coming to terms with disability, adapting to the unexpected, and ultimately learning to express herself again.

A few years ago, the Toronto band The Beaches were dropped from their record label at around the same time that the band’s lead singer, Jordan Miller, was dumped by her boyfriend. After rallying around each other, The Beaches came out the other side with a life-changing hit, “Blame Brett,” which propelled them into the spotlight. What they didn’t anticipate was the feeling of impostor syndrome that resulted from their fans putting them on a pedestal. Now, The Beaches are back with their follow-up album, “No Hard Feelings,” which embraces the messier sides of their lives. Jordan and Leandra Earl of The Beaches join Tom Power in studio to tell us about it.

After more than a decade away from the spotlight, Melanie Fiona is back with a new EP, “Say Yes.” It’s the Canadian singer’s first major release since 2012, when she won two Grammys for her work on CeeLo Green’s song “Fool for You.” Melanie tells guest host Talia Schlanger how intense burnout led to a spiritual awakening, how losing her voice taught her to speak up for herself, and why she’s saying yes to singing again.

In 1956, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong released “Ella and Louis” — the first of three classic albums the two jazz greats would record together. Now, a Canadian production is paying tribute to these records and these artists with a new stage show called “Ella and Louis,” which is running at this season’s Shaw Festival. The award-winning Toronto singer and actor Alana Bridgewater co-created the show and also plays Fitzgerald. She joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about the legacy of these albums and what it’s like to step into the shoes of a music legend.

Raphael Bob-Waksberg has a way of conjuring up big feelings, sometimes even when you’re least expecting it. His acclaimed animated series “BoJack Horseman” (about an anthropomorphic horse who happens to be a washed up sitcom actor trying to make his comeback in Hollywood) was an emotional gut punch. Now, Raphael is back with a new Netflix series, “Long Story Short,” which is about the joys and losses of the Schwoopers — a Jewish family made up of three very different siblings. The story follows the family through their joys, wins and losses, jumping back and forth in time to reveal how their past shapes their present. Raphael joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about the new show, why laughing through pain doesn’t cheapen it, and how he went from doing theatre to making adult animation.

Shirley Moorhouse was 65 when she decided to pursue a Master of Fine Arts. Though she’s been creating art for more than three decades, now, at age 69, she’s finally having her moment. This year, the Labrador-based Inuk artist is on the longlist for the prestigious Sobey Art Award, a major solo exhibit of her work is currently on display in St. John’s, and one of her wall hangings will be shown at the National Gallery of Canada come October. Shirley speaks with guest host Gill Deacon about how her grandmother set her on course to become an observer and a creator when she was just a newborn, the technique behind her wall hangings, and how it feels to be in the prime of her creative life.

Ikky is a Canadian musician and producer who’s bringing Punjabi music to the world — and putting the spotlight on Canada in the process. The international hitmaker has racked up billions of streams and worked with artists both at home and in India. Now, he’s back with a new single, “Tell Me,” which is a bilingual collaboration between OneRepublic and Karan Aujla. Earlier this year, Ikky sat down with Tom Power to tell us how that track came to be, how his work fuses traditional Indian music with influences from his upbringing in Toronto, and why he feels more Canadians need to open their minds to Punjabi music.

Billianne is a Canadian singer-songwriter who got her start after she posted a viral TikTok cover of Tina Turner’s iconic hit “The Best.” Since then, she’s released an EP, performed on “The Today Show” and “The Kelly Clarkson Show,” and was called a “young Adele” by Rolling Stone. Billianne sits down with guest host Gill Deacon to talk about her blossoming career, her relationship to her family and her new album, “Modes of Transportation.”

The acclaimed musician and composer Jon Batiste is putting his mark on Americana music with his new record, “Big Money.” It looks at capitalism, the power of community and love. It even has a Randy Newman duet, which happened all thanks to a cold call. Jon joins guest host Garvia Bailey to talk about connecting to his creativity, working with Stephen Colbert on “The Late Show” and why he says making music is more than entertainment — it’s a “spiritual practice.”

For years, TV writer Patrick Tarr has been writing scripts for shows like “Murdoch Mysteries,” “Cardinal” and “Saving Hope” — but his dream was always to write a book. Now, that dream has become a reality. Patrick’s debut novel, “The Guest Children,” is a chilling supernatural tale inspired by real-life history: the evacuation of 6,000 British children to Canada during the Second World War. He joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about reframing these events as a ghost story.

John Fogerty is the vocalist, lead guitarist and principal songwriter behind the legendary rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival. With chart-topping hits like "Proud Mary" and "Fortunate Son,” he’s helped shape the sound of American music. But for decades, John didn’t own the rights to his own songs. That changed recently when he decided to re-record new versions of his biggest hits. In this career-spanning conversation with guest host Garvia Bailey, John talks about reclaiming his artistic legacy, and how falling in love with his wife changed everything for him.

What do you do when the world around you is anything but calm? For the Juno-winning Indigenous blues artist Crystal Shawanda, the answer was to go inward. Back in May, she joined Tom Power to talk about her powerful and deeply personal new track “This Peace,” which channels her family’s strength, her culture and her own journey of self-discovery to find calm in the midst of life’s storms.

Andrew Barr is a comedian and recovering addict who’s preparing to record his debut comedy special, “The 13th Hour,” in a packed Toronto comedy club this weekend. But just before that, he plans to push his body to the limit by running on a treadmill for 12 hours straight. The show is a metaphor for how addiction slowly breaks down a person’s body and isolates them from their loved ones. His hope is to raise money for the rehab centre that helped him turn it all around. Andrew joins guest host Gill Deacon to tell us more about the project, and how it’s his way of giving voice to those who struggle with drug and alcohol addiction.

In a chaotic world filled with uncertainty and suffering, what’s the point of giddy, toe-tapping musical theatre? Winnipeg's Kimberley Rampersad directs the musical comedy “Anything Goes” at the Shaw Festival this season, and she makes a powerful case for the role of joyful art in hard times. Kimberley joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about her journey to directing, the importance of theatre’s joyful resistance to the darkness, and how theatre allows us to have conversations with the gloves coming off.

What happens when a comedian makes a movie about climate change with survivors of the most powerful typhoon ever recorded? Seán Devlin answers that question with his surreal new film “Asog” — a Canadian-Filipino production made with zero trained actors and a guerilla crew of five people. The Vancouver-based comedian and filmmaker sits down with Tom Power to talk about his personal connection to the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan, and why he was so determined to make a movie with them. 

The award-winning Canadian rapper Haviah Mighty is known for writing songs that tackle heavy subjects like racism, power dynamics and equality. But now, Haviah is entering a new era — one that’s focused on positivity and good vibes. She joins guest host Gill Deacon to talk about her new chapter and her latest single, “Lucky.”