By Anne-Laure Petit-Hénon
Published on March 29, 2026 at 10:46, updated on March 29, 2026 at 10:52
It’s a discreet phenomenon, almost for insiders. Glorious. This name may not ring a bell for you, yet, the “praise pop” group founded in 2002 by Thomas and Benjamin Pouzin has over 95,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and performs in Arenas and Zéniths throughout France. Behind the success of their music lies a sign of a return to faith for some French people. Interviewed by actu.fr, Benjamin Pouzin, now 41, confirms that “for two or three years now,” the public has been growing in numbers and the churches they used to perform in have become too small. In 2025, the church recorded a 45% increase in adult baptisms. A figure on the rise for several years. Thanks to social networks, for example, but also through music. actu.fr was able to interview Benjamin Pouzin, who embraces a missionary role and his desire to modernize the ways of practicing the Catholic religion.
“The lyrics of our songs are prayers”
Actu: Benjamin Pouzin, without going over all your years of career, how did the idea of creating a religious music group come about?
Benjamin Pouzin: The idea came when we attended World Youth Days (JMJ), an event organized by the Catholic Church. We came back super happy, full of joy and fervor, and we wondered why there wasn’t as much joy in our churches. So, basically, we wanted to use music to transmit joy in churches and to Christians.
How would you define your music?
B.P.: Like modern music, similar to Vianney or Coldplay. But the lyrics are prayers. When our first album was very successful, we realized that there was a real expectation. An expectation of renewal in the church and perhaps also of wanting to express our faith in a more modern way.
“Our generation is in search of spirituality”
So, what does a Glorious concert look like?
B.P.: It’s like a classical concert with screens, huge sound systems, light, smoke… But we don’t just sing songs, we sing our faith. And it connects us with the audience. Without forcing them (because otherwise it wouldn’t work), some people start singing, closing their eyes, opening their hands… It’s a place to express emotions and it feels good, in our society where we have few places to do so.
Do you make a living from your music?
B.P.: Glorious is a real band. We have two million streams per month, more than some artists seen on TF1. Christian music is a global phenomenon. Those leading the way (as usual) are the United States. But Glorious is listened to all over the world, especially in French-speaking African countries. We are pioneers and we hope that other praise pop groups will take our place. It’s not just about singing in church on Sundays, there is a real underlying movement.
Interview conducted on January 16, 2026.
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