American Idol Season 24 returned on Monday evening (March 2) with a slew of talented singers, but only 30 contestants were able to advance to the next phase of the competition. One of those lucky contenders was 19-year-old college student Jesse Findling.
Fans will recall that the college student from Long Island, New York, first auditioned for Idol with “In the Stars” by Benson Boone, earning praise from Idol judges Carrie Underwood, Lionel Richie, and Luke Bryan. What surprised the celebrity panel most was how controlled Findling sounded while singing, despite struggling with a stutter since elementary school.
“I’ve always known that I can sing, but to get that level of validation and praise, it was an insane feeling,” Findling recalled of his debut performance, which carried him through to Hollywood Week.
His stutter didn’t get in the way of his next big moment either.
During Hollywood Week, Findling took the stage in front of the judges and his fellow contestants to perform “Love in the Dark” by Adele.
Before showcasing his vocal prowess, he shared, “I’m going to be singing ‘Love in the Dark’ by Adele. When I was younger and when I watched American Idol, ‘Love in the Dark’ was one of those songs that I was like, ‘I want to sing that on the show one day.’”
“I do feel a little bit of pressure,” he added. “The audition was just in front of the three judges, and now it’s in front of a thousand people. So the stakes are definitely higher.”
Wearing a black leather jacket and standing confidently at the microphone, with his parents watching from a viewing area at the side of the stage, Findling opened the night with a raw and captivating performance. From the first note, he showcased his rich tone and stunning lower register. He soared into his high falsetto that showcased both his range and technical precision.
Early in the performance, Bryan could be heard saying, “Wow,” before adding, “Look at that control.”
Afterward, Bryan went a step further, approaching him onstage following the show-stopping number to joke about wanting to kick him out of the room because he was so impressed.
“There are so many things I wanted to say that I was trying to kick you out of the room because I’m so jealous of you. But your first note, Carrie started drawing hearts everywhere,” he told Findling. “And 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. And I’m so excited to see your future.”
Findling then had to wait anxiously to learn whether he would survive the first round of cuts. Underwood finally revealed, “You are still in the running to become the next American Idol.”
“Tonight has just been the best night of my life. I just can’t believe it,” he told producers afterward. His father embraced him with a proud smile, saying, “I’m so proud of you.”
Later, Findling joined the other hopefuls in the Golden Room to await the final decision. When it was announced that he had officially made the Top 30, he secured his place in the next round of auditions, set to take place at Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii.
American Idol airs every Monday at 8/7c on ABC, and is available to stream next day on Hulu.
