Leith Ross on grief, community and showing up even when it’s hard

Vancouver's own Ryan Reynolds (Dead Pool, Free Guy) is one of the biggest movie stars in the world. But these days, he's using his voice to talk about another great Canadian movie star: the late John Candy. Ryan is one of the producers behind the new documentary “John Candy: I Like Me,” which examines the life, work and legacy of the beloved actor and comedian. In a special interview backstage at Toronto’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Ryan sits down with Tom Power to talk about the film, and the parallels between John’s career and his own.Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input! 

Back in 2023, Debby Friday won the prestigious Polaris Music Prize for her debut album, “Good Luck.” When she sat down to write her next record, it would’ve been easy to stick with what worked the first time, but instead, Debby made a conscious decision to do things differently. The result is her most ambitious album yet, “The Starrr Of The Queen Of Life,” which features everything from dance floor bangers to intimate ballads. This past summer, Debby joined Tom Power to take us inside the emotional and artistic journey behind her new record.Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input! 

Jeff Wall is one of the most influential photographers of our time. His photos have sold for millions at auctions, he’s an Officer of the Order of Canada, and his work has advanced photography as an art form through the use of staged scenes and large lightboxes. But before ever picking up a camera, Jeff was just a kid living in Vancouver trying to find his way, experimenting with different artistic mediums like painting and filmmaking. Now, he’s getting ready for his first major Canadian exhibit in 25 years. In a rare interview, Jeff tells Tom Power about the first time he got a camera, how his parents supported him by building him a shed in their backyard, and why he kind of likes it when you don’t know the titles of his photographs.Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input! 

In her latest poetry collection, “Wellwater,” Canadian poet Karen Solie takes a hard look at climate grief and economic anxiety. Her opening poem, “Basement Suite,” was inspired by short-term rentals and precarious living arrangements. But for Karen, the role of poetry isn’t about finding the answers to big questions — it's about honouring our curiosity with the hope that we can eventually find new ways forward. She joins Tom Power to talk about her new book and she reads a few poems for us as well.Fill out our listener survey here. We appreciate your input! 

Before cementing her status as a bonafide comedic talent, Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, Neighbors) was known for more dramatic roles. Now, the Australian actor is combining those skills in the new comedy-drama, “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.” During this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Rose sat down with Tom Power to discuss the film and what it was like co-starring with Conan O'Brien in his first serious acting role. She also told us how she broke out of her shell as a shy kid, how she and Heath Ledger helped each other out as young Australians in Hollywood, and what she thinks about her one line from “Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.”

Italian pianist and composer Ludovico Einaudi is a powerhouse in classical music. As one of the most streamed classical artists of all time, his atmospheric, meditative piano sound has captured the imaginations of acclaimed filmmakers and famous fans, such as Iggy Pop, Nicki Minaj and Ricky Gervais. Ludovico’s new album, “The Summer Portraits,” was inspired by paintings he saw on a summer vacation that transported him back to his childhood. He joins Tom Power at the Glenn Gould piano in our studio to talk about his life, career and the healing power of music.

Today we’re remembering the Grammy-winning R&B and soul singer D’Angelo. The musician’s family confirmed in a statement today that he died following a prolonged battle with cancer at age 51. Back in 2017, we did a deep dive on D’Angelo’s 1995 debut album “Brown Sugar,” which some say marked the birth of the term "neo-soul." In tribute to D’Angelo, we dug deep into the “Q” archives to bring you this guide to “Brown Sugar” by music historian Jason King.

You probably didn’t expect the bestselling author of “The Notebook” and the acclaimed director of “The Sixth Sense” to start working together, but you’ll be glad that they did. Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan have collaborated on a supernatural love story that’s being released as a novel first, followed by a movie next year. It’s called “Remain” and it follows a grieving architect who moves to Cape Cod and meets a mysterious woman. Nicholas joins Tom Power to talk about the book, his deep love for horror, and how he almost collaborated with Night on the movie adaptation of “The Notebook.”

Leith Ross is a Juno-nominated singer-songwriter whose music blew up on TikTok during the pandemic. Now, they’ve released their sophomore album, “I Can See The Future,” which sees them embracing radical optimism to envision a better world. Leith sits down with Tom Power to talk about building community even when it’s hard, and why they opted for a quieter life in Winnipeg after getting their big break.

On the 30th anniversary of Blue Rodeo’s best selling album “Five Days in July,” bandmates Jim Cuddy and Greg Keelor join Tom to recall how they found refuge in Greg’s Ontario farmhouse to create a Canadian masterpiece.