What started out as a fun activity among siblings has landed New York college student Jesse Findling on the big stage of “American Idol.”
After discovering that his stutter disappeared while singing, Findling began to tap into music as an outlet for expressing himself and inspiring others dealing with the same insecurity he has faced since elementary school.
Findling challenges himself to be confident and fearless, acting as a role model for his younger brother, who shares the same speech trait.
In 2025, Findling, a student at Binghamton University, began posting videos of himself singing, and one day an “American Idol” scout stumbled across one of his posts. The scout later reached out to see if he was interested in auditioning for the long-running show now on ABC watched by millions of people across the globe.
At first, Findling, 19, a native of Long Island, was hesitant to even post videos online, wondering what people would think. Looking back on it now, Findling has built up the confidence to post consistently and now has an “it is what it is” attitude.
In the beginning, his Instagram following hovered around 300.
After earning a spot on the show, it has jumped to more than 12,000 and counting.
‘Super long’ audition process landed Binghamton student on American Idol
Singing has always been something Findling loved doing, and “American Idol” was a natural staple in the Findling household. The show had been on his radar as a goal, and Findling would dream that maybe one day he would have the opportunity to be in the spotlight. Like for many aspirants, though, the question was “how do you get on the show?”
What people watching at home on the couch don’t know is that the audition process leading up to the televised auditions is “super long,” Findling said.
Before Findling could travel to Nashville to audition in front of the judges, he had to go through numerous Zoom auditions. The last Zoom audition before flying out to Nashville is called the Winter Circle, attended by show executives and the showrunner.
For Findling, that last audition was “super scary,” but it went well because it led to him landing a spot in Hollywood Week. During his Hollywood Week audition, Findling was juggling classes in Binghamton while traveling on the weekends.
“That was like the most insane week and a half of my life,” he recalled.
Findling’s audition earns standing ovation from American Idol judges
Findling traveled to Nashville with his family to perform “In the Stars” by Benson Boone for the three judges on Season 24 of the show. This was the first time the show hosted Hollywood Week in Nashville.
Findling made sure the trip was worth it as the judges gave him a standing ovation and a golden ticket to Hollywood Week.
Luke Bryan was the first to jump out of his seat after Findling’s audition.
“I don’t think I blinked one time,” the country star said.
Carrie Underwood praised Findling for his delivery, tone, emotional connection and vibrato, a voice that she could only describe as “beautiful.”
Lionel Richie also loved Findling’s performance and dismissed any concerns over his stutter.
“Problem, what problem? You don’t have a problem. The only thing wrong with you is you got to figure out how you’re going to navigate this career,” said Richie.
Findling’s audition clip has already hit nearly 4 million views since it aired on Jan. 20.
Findling takes semester off, ‘living in the moment’ during Idol competition
Findling is a junior at Binghamton University studying biology with a minor in musical theater. He was not directly involved in the Binghamton music scene but participated in musical theater shows and open mic events on campus.
This spring, he will be taking a gap semester to focus on the show and “put my all into this and try to make it work out.”
Going into American Idol, Findling was fully prepared to deal with a potential influx of both negative and uplifting comments people would make about him being in the public eye. He has a positive outlook on the whole experience, and a fear of caring about what other people might say was not going to stop him from chasing his dream.
“I think I’m handling it in a good way so far. I’m trying to live in the moment,” he said.
From childhood friends in Long Island to his professors at Binghamton University, Findling has a strong support system rooting for his success.
The “American Idol” competition is intense and competitive, with Hollywood Week performances ultimately reducing the “Idol” hopefuls from 127 to 30 singers.
Findling made the cut after his performance of “Love In The Dark” by Adele, a song he always imagined singing on the show as a kid.
Richie couldn’t contain himself during the performance, smiling from ear to ear. Afterwards, Findling didn’t just get another standing ovation from the judges — Luke Bryan ran onto the stage.
“What a pro dynamic of singing, and you are so deserving of this time in your life right now to be discovered on this platform. I’m so excited to see your future,” Bryan said.
“The great thing about ‘American Idol’ is no matter what happens, you’re given so many resources and things that you can do that can help you,” Findling said.
Findling’s story has inspired people beyond his circle of friends. In a Jan. 22 Facebook post, The Stuttering Association for the Young showed its support.
“Jesse’s visibility reminds us and the world that stuttering is not a limitation. It can be a source of strength, and an invitation for the world to listen more fully and more authentically,” the group stated.
Watch “American Idol” on Hulu
What is the ‘American Idol’ 2026 schedule?
“American Idol” airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. Episodes are available to stream the next day on Hulu.
Viewers can begin voting for their favorite contestant on March 16 by visiting idolvote.abc.com via phone by texting the code associated with the contestant to 21523.
Kalyn Grant reports on public service issues for the Press & Sun-Bulletin, focusing on schools and community impact. Have a story to share? Follow her on Instagram @KalynCarmen and on Facebook under Kalyn Kearney. Get in touch at KCGrant@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: New York college student overcomes stutter, shines on ‘American Idol’
Reporting by Kalyn Grant, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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