Who Is Robin Kaye? ‘American Idol’ Dedicated Season 24 to Her During Its Premiere Episode

It's no surprise that a show that has been on for as long as American Idol has would also have a longtime family who came together behind the scenes. Much like the memorable contestants who join the show, the reality TV competition also brought on several employees who make the magic happen when the cameras aren't rolling.

During Season 24 premiere of American Idol, the series paid homage to Robin Kaye. At the end of the episode, the show's team left a simple message for Robin.

"Season 24 of American Idol: Dedicated to Robin Kaye," the show wrote. "We'll save you a seat."

The heartfelt message caused fans to inquire about Robin and her contributions to the show. So, who is Robin Kaye? Here's what to know.

American Idol's tribute to Robin came after she was involved in a tragic incident at her Encino, Calif. home. According to a police report from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) that circulated on X (formerly Twitter), she and her husband, Tom Deluca, were found dead in their home in July 2025. They were both 70 years old at the time of their deaths.

Robin and Tom's bodies were found after a welfare check call was made from someone who "had not heard from the resident for several days." The welfare check prompted the officers to go into the house, where they discovered the couple and later identified them.

LAPD confirmed that Robin and Tom died of "multiple gunshot wounds." Soon after they died, officers arrested a suspect in the case, Raymond Boodarian, who was 22 at the time of the shootings. A radio call was reportedly made before Raymond was discovered.

According to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman's news release from Juky 2025, since his conviction, Raymond faces multiple charges, including two counts of murder and one count of first-degree residential burglary, with the special circumstance allegation of multiple murders and murder during the commission of a burglary.

At the time of her death, Robin was still active in the career she loved. She was still working for American Idol as a music supervisor, a position she had held since 2009. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Robin played an integral role in some of the show's most memorable moments, including getting Led Zeppelin to agree to let Adam Lambert perform "Whole Lotta Love" during Season 8.

“I said, ‘This is the time to consider it. If you’re ever going to try it, this is the time,’" she recalled of the moment. "I don’t know if Robert Plant knew, but his manager did because his kids were big Adam fans. They watched the show in England.”

Following the news of her passing, several past American Idol contestants, including Season 8 winner Kris Allen and Season 10 contestant Pia Toscano, remembered the hard work and dedication Robin brought to her career.

“Robin was such a huge part of my success on the show," Kris shared in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. "She’s the reason I was able to perform ‘Falling Slowly’ and ‘Heartless.’"

"She fought for getting what song I would feel comfortable singing that week cleared," he continued. "But more than that she was always so understanding and kind. Going through that show was stressful and the people that were understanding and kind behind the scenes made it all OK. Robin was at the top of that list. And it was the same every time I saw her afterward. My heart goes out to her and her husbands’ families.”