Canadian record producer Doc McKinney looks back on The Weeknd's early rise and tells us how his debut mixtape, House of Balloons, helped change the sound of pop music. On this week's Q This music panel, A. Harmony and Vivek Shraya talk about the public reaction to rapper DMX's reported drug overdose (programming note: this segment was recorded shortly before news broke of DMX's death on April 9). CBC Radio's This Is That host Pat Kelly fills us in on his latest project, an experimental comedy series called The Slowest Show, inspired by slow TV. Canadian actress Alison Pill reflects on her role in Amazon's new horror anthology, Them, about a Black family in the 1950s who move into an all-white neighborhood where malevolent forces threaten them.
Singer Merry Clayton talks about her first solo album in more than 25 years, Beautiful Scars, which she made in the aftermath of a life-altering car accident. Actress Kim Novak discusses her new book of paintings, Kim Novak: Her Art and Life, and shares how her art helped her cope with the pressures of Hollywood's studio system. Interdisciplinary artist Sook-Yin Lee talks about paying tribute to her late partner, Adam Litovitz, by finishing the album they started together, titled Jooj Two.
Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill talks about songwriting from the vantage point of fictional characters, the band's evolution and why he wanted to release their new album as an NFT. In celebration of National Poetry Month, our books columnist Jael Richardson fills us in on Jen Sookfong Lee's debut poetry collection, The Shadow List. Canadian filmmaker Kazik Radwanski talks about his award-winning drama Anne at 13,000 ft, about a shy, socially awkward daycare worker whose life is transformed after she skydives for the first time.
Canadian icon William Shatner opens up about aging, loneliness and what keeps him going at 90. Maria Bakalova reflects on her life-changing role in Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, which made her the first Bulgarian actress to be nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award. Soul co-director and screenwriter Kemp Powers discusses the animated film's groundbreaking portrayal of African American identity, and how it helps dismantle the distinction between "winners and losers."
Multidisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya discusses her new solo stage show, How To Fail As A Pop Star, about the true story of her life in music. R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe and Mike Mills look back on their landmark album, Out of Time, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Pokémon theme song singer Jason Paige talks about the unexpected success of the show and its recent resurgence thanks to the Pokémon Go app. Actor and singer Mandy Patinkin discusses his deep love of music, his acting career and his new album, Children and Art.
Actor Michael J. Fox opens up about the long-term effects of Parkinson's disease and how he found his way back to optimism after experiencing a particularly brutal year. Children of Blood and Bone author Tomi Adeyemi talks about the importance of writing fantasy stories with Black protagonists. Screen legend Julie Andrews shares a few of her favourite things from her Hollywood career.