Jesse Findling

S24 · Eliminated (12th)

As of April 19, 2026

Jesse Findling of Massapequa Park won a Golden Ticket on American Idol with Benson Boone’s In the Stars. The season premiered on January 26, 2026. He graduated from Massapequa High School in 2023, played musical theater there, and was a biology major at Binghamton University. By April 19, 2026 he had reached the top 12. In the week before that date he sang the national anthem at the New York Islanders’ season finale at UBS Arena. He said his goal is to learn guitar and write his own songs.⁠[1][2][3]

Career

Before the show

  1. 2023He graduated from Massapequa High School in 2023, played musical theater there, and as of January 26, 2026 was a junior biology major at Binghamton University. He took his junior spring semester off for the show.⁠[1][3]

During or around the show

  1. March 17, 2026You Found Me, from his American Idol performance of the song, was released on March 17, 2026.⁠[3][6]
  2. April 2026In an interview published April 19, 2026, he said his goal was to learn guitar and write his own songs.⁠[3]
  3. April 2026In the week before April 19, 2026 he sang the national anthem at the New York Islanders’ season finale at UBS Arena.⁠[3]

Discography

No releases are documented yet.

Awards

Checked October 8, 2026; none found.

Other activity

  • January 26, 2026He won a Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week with Benson Boone’s In the Stars. He auditioned at Belmont University’s McAfee Concert Hall. The season premiered on January 26, 2026.⁠[1][2]
  • April 2026By April 19, 2026 he had reached the top 12 of American Idol.⁠[3]

Sources

6 sources

  1. Massapequa Park's Jesse Findling wins golden ticket to Hollywood Week on American Idol — Newsday, updated January 26, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Article: “from Massapequa Park”
    • Article: “Golden Ticket to Hollywood Week”
    • Article: “In the Stars”
    • Article: “2023 Massapequa High School graduate”
    • Article: “musical theater”
    • Article: “junior majoring in biology”
    • Updated line: “Updated January 26, 2026”
    • Article: “McAfee Concert Hall”
  2. American Idol season 24 — Wikipedia, updated July 18, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Infobox season dates: “Start date|2026|01|26”
    • Season premiere: “Start date|2026|01|26”
  3. American Idol finalist Jesse Findling of Long Island gets hero's welcome home — New York Post, published April 19, 2026. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Article: “top 12”
    • Date: “April 19, 2026”
    • Article: “UBS Arena”
    • Article: “junior spring semester off”
    • Article: “You Found Me”
    • Article: “I definitely want to start learning guitar and writing my own songs, and that’s the goal”
    • Article: “told The Post minutes before belting out the National Anthem at the NHL Islanders’ season finale last week”
    • Article: “National Anthem at the NHL Islanders”
  4. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Jesse Findling: Season 24, Place finish 12th
  5. American Idol season 24 — Wikipedia, updated July 18, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Top 12 – 90s Judges' Song Contest (April 6) table (Eliminated); Elimination chart, row Jesse Findling: Pl. 12, 4/6 column
  6. iTunes album search: Jesse Findling — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • You Found Me: "releaseDate":"2026-03-17T07:00:00Z"
    • You Found Me: "copyright":"℗ 2026 19 Recordings, Inc., under exclusive license to Atlantic Recording Corporation"

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