AMERICAN IDOL SHOCKER: 19-YEAR-OLD JESSE FINDLING DELIVERS HEART-RENDING ‘IN THE STARS’ AUDITION THAT LEAVES JUDGES IN TEARS — OVERCOMES LIFELONG STUTTER TO EARN GOLDEN TICKET TO HOLLYWOOD WEEK

HIGHLIGHTS:

• JESSE FINDLING, 19-year-old college student with a lifelong stutter, stuns judges with an emotionally charged rendition of Benson Boone’s “In The Stars.”

• Judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood give a rare unanimous standing ovation before handing him a Golden Ticket.

• Performance celebrated as a powerful story of triumph over adversity — though some fans accuse Idol of emotional overload.

• Social media erupts: some hail Jesse as the season’s first true “moment,” others say the narrative overshadowed the music.

In what American Idol insiders are already calling one of the most soul-stirring auditions of the year, Jesse Findling took to the stage with a story that could have been ripped straight from a Hollywood script. The 19-year-old, a soft-spoken college student from Long Island, nervously disclosed that he has dealt with a stutter since childhood — only to unleash a voice so pure and passionate that judges Luke Bryan, Lionel Richie and Carrie Underwood were visibly moved.

Stepping into the audition room at Belmont University in Nashville, Findling chose Benson Boone’s emotive ballad “In The Stars” — a song already beloved by Gen Z and streamed millions of times — and turned it into something intensely personal.

“When I sing, I don’t stutter,” Jesse said before his performance, laying bare a fear he’s carried since elementary school — a fear that once made him too scared to raise his hand in class.

That vulnerability struck a chord with the judges. Luke Bryan admitted, “I don’t think I blinked one time. Wow! You’re a real singer, man.” Underwood praised his beautiful vibrato and emotional delivery, while Richie dismissed the idea of his stutter as a weakness altogether — “Problem? What problem?” — before sealing his fate with a resounding yes from all three judges.

A Moment of Triumph — or Manipulation?

Fans took to social platforms immediately after the sneak-peek clip dropped, debating the audition’s emotional framing. Some hail it as the season’s first true “moment” — a triumphant tale of resilience and artistry. Others argue that the show leaned hard into Jesse’s stutter as the central narrative, leaving less focus on his technical performance.

“Feels like 70% focused on this kid’s disability and 30% on the music,” one viewer wrote on Reddit, while another praised his vocals and predicted he could make the top 20.

Who Is Jesse Findling?

• A 19-year-old college student from Long Island who’s been singing since childhood.

• Grew up singing with his brother and sister, using karaoke tracks and performing in school choirs.

• Uses singing as an emotional outlet — a space where his stutter disappears.

• Has a modest but devoted social media presence with previous covers that garnered attention on platforms like TikTok.

Benson Boone’s “In The Stars” is an especially poignant choice — Boone himself rose to fame with emotionally resonant ballads after his own American Idol journey and subsequent meteoric career.

What’s Next?

With a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week secured, Jesse’s Idol journey is just beginning — but the audition has already ignited passionate discussion online. Will his voice and story carry him deep into the competition, or will critics argue that the emotional narrative overshadows technical prowess?

What do you think?
Is Jesse Findling the dark horse of American Idol Season 24, or was this audition framed to tug at heartstrings more than crown a true contender? Let us know in the comments below.