We first met Lazaro Arbos [1] in January 2013, when he competed on Season 12 of American Idol. He made it to the Top 10, and remembered his vibrant smile, and his bowties! We caught up with Lazaro to discuss where life has taken him since his time on Idol and his advice for Jesse Findling [2], a recent contestant who stutters on American Idol.

Tell us what you've been doing since American Idol in 2013.

After living in Los Angeles for a while, I moved back to my hometown of Naples, Florida. I have been performing with a corporate band, traveling across the country and internationally for concerts, gigs, and various events.

What are the biggest challenges stuttering has presented to you?

The biggest challenge has been the struggle to be taken seriously and valued as I deserve. While I see myself as a normal person, society often has a lot of catching up to do. There is a subconscious tendency to equate fluency with intelligence; when someone stutters, they are often unfairly categorized as less capable or intelligent because they don't communicate in the way people expect.

What is your greatest success with regard to stuttering?

It remains a difficult journey. Stuttering is unpredictable. I can have a very fluent morning and feel I’ve overcome it, only to have it return more heavily the next day. I believe the greatest accomplishment anyone can achieve is learning to accept and love themselves unconditionally. Stuttering may always be there, but you have to learn to love yourself more than the struggle.

What is your reaction to seeing other people who stutter perform/compete on reality TV?

I think it’s wonderful. It brings much-needed visibility and puts stuttering at the forefront. Since stuttering isn't widely understood, every person who appears on screen gives hope to others. It helps the world see that we are, in fact, very normal people.

What advice do you have for Jesse Findling as he advances on Idol?

My advice to Jesse is to fully be himself. It is challenging, but when you embrace who you are, the stuttering doesn't "fight back" as much.

Anything you wish you could have done differently?

I wish I had been more authentically myself and fought harder for what I believed in during my time on the show. While American Idol was an amazing platform, I feel I sacrificed parts of myself that I would not be willing to sacrifice today.

What would you tell children and parents of children who stutter?

My advice is primarily for the parents: let your children stutter. Do not feel the need to correct them; let them be exactly who they are. Constant correction can make stuttering worse by emphasizing the idea that something is "wrong." In reality, nothing is wrong—it is just the nervous system processing things in its own way. The best thing is to be comfortable and not afraid to stutter. In my experience, the more you fear it, the more it persists.

From the Spring 2026 Magazine [3]