Meet a Future Superstar: Jesse Findling

Season 24 Contestant on American Idol

Do you remember when you first began to stutter?

I have always had a stutter. I remember having one ever since elementary school. It made me super shy, and I would never raise my hand in class. It was in elementary school when I first started speech therapy. Two times a week, I would go to the school speech therapist, and that was my favorite time of the day because I could speak freely. It was something I struggled with because I was scared of being perceived, and at such a young age I didn’t understand what it was or why I had it.

Does it run in your family?

My brother also has a stutter. It’s something he has struggled with as well, and he also tried speech therapy. I would say his is less severe, but it’s been great being able to talk to him about stuttering. We both understand what it’s like living with a stutter and having each other to talk about it is really special.

Have you had any speech therapy or counseling and has it helped?

I have had speech therapy! I started going to speech therapy in elementary school. It was during school, and it really helped me. My speech therapist’s name was Judy, and she taught me a lot of techniques and showed me breathing exercises to calm myself down. Knowing I could speak freely when I was talking to her made me feel safe. As I got older, I still went to speech therapy, but not as often. There were times when my stutter was worse than normal, and when I felt like I needed help, I would tell my parents I wanted to see a speech therapist. I worked with Lee Caggiano, who was very well known in the stuttering community. She was the cofounder and director of Friends: The National Association of Young People Who Stutter. She unfortunately passed away a few years ago, but she was the most kind and accepting human. She was so helpful and would urge me to disclose my stutter in everyday activities. She really helped me with the confidence side of stuttering and helped me accept my stutter and embrace it. I worked with her for about a year or so. Now, if I find myself struggling with my stutter, I’m never scared to look for another speech therapist. Asking for help is not a weakness—it is a strength.  

Tell us about your experience with stuttering as a child.

There were a lot of ups and downs with my experience having a stutter when I was little. Even with my friends who knew I stuttered, it was still embarrassing for me to stutter in front of them. I would know the answer to questions in class, and I would want to share my thoughts, but I decided to stay quiet. I had been laughed at a few times in class and even had a teacher say something mean. It only took small things like that to keep me from participating. I didn’t know many other people who stuttered, so I felt alone. Looking back, especially knowing now how many amazing foundations and organizations there are for stuttering, I wish I would have been a part of them and been more involved in the stuttering community.

Has your stuttering gotten worse or better since you were younger?

Stuttering is different for everyone, which is so fascinating to me. There have been times in my life when my stutter has been more severe than others. I’ve also learned that my stutter is connected to stress. When I am more nervous, I tend to stutter more frequently. I think at times in my life when I was more stressed—whether that was because I was taking hard classes in school or for other reasons—I had a harder time with stuttering.

Based upon your experiences, what would you like to tell children who stutter?

I would say three things: 1.  take a breath when you feel it coming or even if you are stuck, 2. people can wait for you to speak, and 3. don’t give up.

How does stuttering affect you in your pursuit of singing?  

It really doesn’t. Singing has always been an outlet for me because I don’t stutter when I sing. So, singing has always felt like an escape—a way for me to express myself and feel free without fear of judgment or perception.

How is your stuttering today?

I still have a stutter today, but I can confidently say that I am in control of it and it doesn’t control me. For so many years, it was something I wished would disappear, but now I realize it is something that makes me who I am. It is the least important thing about me, and once I came to that realization, it stopped affecting me in a negative way. I still use the techniques I’ve been taught to help with my fluency. I make sure to speak at a good pace and breathe. I’ve used these techniques in all the interviews I’ve done for American Idol. While I still stutter during these interviews, I am much more fluent.

What are the biggest challenges stuttering has presented to you?

Just the ways in which it has affected my confidence. There were so many things I didn’t do when I was younger because of my stutter. I wish I had been more confident about my stutter at a younger age so I could have done more of the things I wanted to do but didn’t because I was scared of judgment. Now I know I can do anything I put my mind to, and my stutter should never be a reason why I don’t do something I want to do.

What is your greatest accomplishment with regard to stuttering?

Being able to share my story on American Idol has been a big accomplishment. I’m so happy that I get to be a role model to so many people who also stutter and feel like their dreams can’t come true. Being able to show these people that you can achieve your dreams makes me feel so proud and lucky.

Based upon your experiences, what would you like to tell children who stutter?

I would tell children who stutter that any feelings they have about their stutter are valid. I think it’s important to realize that living with a stutter is not easy, and everyone has a different journey when it comes to accepting their stutter. So, I would love to tell all kids who stutter that their feelings are valid, and that stuttering is the least important thing about you. There are so many amazing things about you that make you special, and you should not let your stutter dim those amazing things.

Based upon your own experiences, what would you tell parents of children who stutter?

I would tell parents of kids who stutter to always be there to listen. It’s so important for kids who stutter to have a strong support system and to feel comfortable when they speak. Knowing they have parents who will listen without judgment means so much. I would also advise them to introduce their children to the stuttering community. There are so many support groups for kids who stutter and being able to have friends who also stutter is so special. Never dismiss your child’s feelings either. Any experience or feeling related to stuttering can be hard to open up about, so make sure to acknowledge your child’s feelings and always remind them how special and important they are.

Photos courtesy of ABC Entertainment, American Idol, and Jesse Findling.

From the Spring 2026 Magazine