🔴 Charlson Duverné aka Poppy
Renaissance: Exclusive interview with Charlson “Poppy” Duverné, the architect of an extraordinary evangelical musical event
On May 25, the Transformed Life Church will welcome “Renaissance”, a large -scale evangelical musical event orchestrated by Charlson Duverné, better known as Poppy Duverné. Through this interview, discover the inspiring journey of this musical director, the genesis of this unique project, and behind the scenes of an evening which promises to be already memorable for the Christian community. Immerse yourself in the world of “Renaissance”, a concert thought as a message of hope, renewal and gathering around music and faith.
Charlson Duverné, alias Poppy Duverné, is not an unknown to the evangelical musical landscape. With more than 25 years of experience, he distinguished himself as a musician, project manager and now executive director of “Renaissance”. His atypical journey, between spiritual commitment and incursions in the secular music scene (notably HMI), gives it a singular vision of music as a vector of transformation and testimony.
The idea of “renaissance” is born from a succession of awareness and internal calls. “There are several ways to be reborn,” explains Poppy, for whom this project symbolizes both a homecoming, a new personal start (May 25 being also its birthday), and a universal message addressed to those who think that everything is over for them. “Renaissance, that is to say that life is not over, that we can always get up.” This triple dimension irrigates the programming of the event, which will highlight works and artists that have marked the Christian community, while valuing transmission and intergenerational collaboration.
If Poppy assumes his executive role today, he has not always been on the front of the evangelical scene. After a period of rupture and distance, marked by disappointments and experiences in the secular musical sector, he returns to his roots, moved by a deep conviction: “God does not give talent without reason, your place is in the ministry.” This sentence, heard during a preaching, acted as a click, reinforced by decisive meetings and the support of close friends.
His trajectory is punctuated by questioning and transformations. His attachment to God and the Christian community now guides each of his decisions, and he wishes, through “Renaissance”, transmit this renewed faith and this energy of renewal to a broad and diverse audience. “I made mistakes, but a Christian musician should not be involved in non-Christian events,” he says. This time, his commitment is total: “God imposed this return to me. Since June 2024, I have returned to church and I decided not to play elsewhere. Today, I know that my place is here to serve and inspire. »»
The event will be held at the transformed life church, a strategic choice motivated by the quality of the infrastructure and the ability to meet the technical requirements of an ambitious spectacle. “It is one of the best places for a religious activity of this magnitude”, underlines Poppy. Production mobilizes a team of 37 people, technicians, volunteers and partners from various horizons (Haiti, Africa, France, Quebec).
The preparation, started in December with the recording of the album of 16 music, took place in a spirit of collaboration and determination. Despite some initial doubts, all the artists quickly joined the vision of the project. “I know who to put with whom the harmony manifests,” says Poppy, with his experience. A director works each performance to guarantee an immersive and unprecedented experience, well beyond a simple concert. It will also be an opportunity to rediscover my compositions, interpreted by groups and choirs such as Revelation Mizik, Jehud, Mahanaim and Reskape.
