Céline Dion is having a moment. It’s not her first, and millions of fans are hoping it won’t be her last. While Céline’s international stardom seems obvious now, it was all so unlikely. Now, as a rare illness threatens to retire Celine’s more-than-four-decade long career, in Céline: Understood culture writer and Chosen Family co-host Thomas Leblanc reveals the surprising cultural, political and business alchemy that created one of the most enduring superstars the planet has ever...

Of all the young revolutionaries in Syria during the Arab Spring, Amina is different. An out lesbian in a country where homosexuality is illegal, she bravely documents her life on the blog Gay Girl in Damascus. Her candid posts attract readers from around the world, and soon she has a wide, ardent following. But then a post appears saying Amina has been abducted. Her fans mobilize, desperate to track down and save their fearless heroine. What they find shocks them. Journalist Samira Mohyeddin...

It’s with a heavy heart and sense of pride that we bid you, dear listeners, farewell. Yes, this is the series finale of Chosen Family, but we’re not leaving without one last soulful, deep conversation. Joining us for this bittersweet episode is the brilliant Miguel Gutierrez, New York-based choreographer, composer, performer, singer, writer, educator and one of our favourite people. We spoke about Madonna, the complexity of gender identity, and the connection between sobriety and the creative...

It’s a very special episode as we welcome one of our dream guests, Québecoise pop icon, Mitsou Gélinas! Mitsou has had one of the most varied and fascinating careers in Québec entertainment, from pop success with hits like “Bye Bye Mon Cowboy” to 20 years in radio to founding her own magazine—Mitsou has done it all! We spoke to her about the ups and downs of being a pop star, the slut shaming she experienced in the 90s, and how she has managed to continually reinvent herself. And, on...

Before rolling out the red carpet for a very special guest, Tranna talks to Thomas about the high school English teacher that changed her life and how she used her new live show, High School Reunion, to process the nightmare that was her high school years. Then the two are joined by drag royalty, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK runner-up and instant fashion icon, Bimini Bon Boulash, for a conversation about London, inspiration, and learning to release the beast within. Plus Thomas gets the chance to...

Thomas and Tranna let their inner theatre geeks out as they share memories of the fabulous Broadway shows they’ve seen. They couldn’t dream of a better guest to join them in their love of musical theatre than a person who’s being heralded as the future of the medium: the Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright, composer, lyricist, Michael R. Jackson. His breakthrough, groundbreaking musical, A Strange Loop, is Broadway-bound and Tranna and Thomas talk to him about the creative process, the 90’s...

When Tranna first started comedy eight years ago, she never could have imagined an international community of trans comedians. Thomas and Tranna reflect on the emergence of the trans comedy scene and its vitality. Then they’re joined by special guest Kama La Mackerel, multidisciplinary artist and writer of the acclaimed poetry collection, Zom-Fam, for an illuminating and inspiring conversation about rituals, spirituality and the role of the imagination in learning to move from surviving to...

Thomas and Tranna never excelled in science, but that’s okay because today they are welcoming the best science teachers they never had: Gregory Brown and Mitchell Moffit, creators of the wildly successful YouTube channel, AsapSCIENCE, which has racked up over 1.5 BILLION views! Greg and Mitch bring their signature wit, charm, and smarts to this high-energy episode as they talk candidly about being a working couple, how to talk to anti-vaxxers, staying hopeful in the face of climate disaster...

Tranna shares her secret life as a digital exhibitionist and gives Thomas a few tips on how to take hot nudes. Then they’re joined by award-winning writer, Zoe Whittall, whose new novel, The Spectacular, is truly spectacular. In this conversation she speaks about the creative process, the sometimes agonizing internal debate about starting a family, and the importance of the word femme and queer terminology. Plus it’s a particularly musical edition of Obsessions!

Thomas and Tranna are joined by the brilliant performer, composer, activist, and musicologist, Jeremy Dutcher, whose debut album, Wolastoqiyik Lintuwakonawa, won the 2018 Polaris Prize. In this deep and illuminating conversation, Jeremy talks about the connections between music and ancestry, reconciliation, and the spirituality of queerness. Also on the show: Thomas talks about the end of his relationship with his therapist and Obsessions is all about a fashion show gone wrong and an epic novel.

Come on listeners, do you believe in making your pop star dreams come true? Cuz we’ve got something to say about it. Thomas and Tranna are joined by singer, writer, multidisciplinary artist and queer icon, Vivek Shraya, for a fun and moving conversation about the power of pop music and what happens when you fail at becoming the one thing you want most in the world: to be a pop star yourself. Plus Tranna shares the story of her bumpy road back to the stage and on Obsessions we’re talking FBoy...

The legendary Jake Shears has entered the chat and we are gagged! As frontman of the massively successful Scissor Sisters, Jake brought back a 70s, queer, glam rock aesthetic back to the mainstream pop scene in 2004. After eight successful years with the band, Jake released his self-titled debut solo album in 2018 and a brilliant memoir titled Boys Keep Swinging. He joins Thomas and Tranna for an in-depth conversation about his career, the fear of being alone, and deep friendships. Plus on...

Transgender women, and trans sex workers in particular, know what it means to be marginalized, overpoliced, and underprotected. In season two of The Village, host Justin Ling investigates the stories of two women, Alloura Wells and Cassandra Do, whose deaths remain unexplained, and whose cases expose the systems that failed them. More episodes are available at: smarturl.it/thevillagecbc

It's another Pride spent apart in the midst of a global pandemic, but maybe this is the chance we need to re-evaluate what Pride means. This week Thomas and Tranna welcome Syrus Marcus Ware and Rodney Diverlus, brilliant artists, activists, and co-editors (alongside Sandy Hudson) of Until We Are Free: Reflections on Black Lives Matter in Canada. In a riveting and uplifting conversation, we talk about the intersection between art and activism, the corporatization of Pride, and making...

Chosen Family goes pop as Tranna and Thomas welcome comedian and judge from RuPaul’s Drag Race: Down Under, Rhys Nicholson. Rhys gives us the inside scoop on what goes on behind the scenes, the best advice he received from Ru, and how he uses comedy to make important statements on queer rights. Plus a very special edition of Obsessions with guest Tom Capelonga, curator of @TheChristoperStreetReader on Instagram, who walks us through some of the most iconic moments in queer pop culture...

Thomas and Tranna discuss the idea of being unremarkable and what it would be like to move through the world if there wasn’t so much pressure on trans and gender non-conforming folks to disclose and explain their identity. Who better to join the exchange than Sam Feder, the brilliant director of the groundbreaking Netflix documentary, Disclosure. Celebrating the film’s first year anniversary, the conversation with Sam takes a look at how Hollywood is changing and how decades of negative,...

Season three of Chosen Family kicks off on February 11th with superstar astrologer, Jessica Lanyadoo! Make sure to follow Chosen Family on Instagram @chosenfamilyshow!