Who is Robin Kaye? American Idol 24 premiere airs tribute card

At the start of tonight’s American Idol season 24 premiere, we saw a tribute card dedicating what was to come to Robin Kaye. Who was she, and what does she mean to the long-running hit reality show?

Unfortunately, much of what we have to share from here on out is sad and tragic in nature. Kaye is someone who actually crossed two different eras of the singing show, one that began over at Fox before migrating to ABC. She was a music supervisor on the series from 2009-2023, but she was tragically murdered alongside husband Thomas Deluca in the summer of 2025. A man named Raymond Boodarian was eventually charged with their murders, and was committed to a state hospital last December.

In a statement at the time of Kaye’s death per TVLine, here is what the series had to say:

“We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom’s, passing … Robin has been a cornerstone of the ‘Idol’ family since 2009 and was truly loved and respected by all who came in contact with her. Robin will remain in our hearts forever and we share our deepest sympathy with her family and friends during this difficult time.”

For those who are unaware, tribute cards are one of the most important thing that any show can do in order to honor someone who was a part of their greater family in a meaningful way. They exist in subsequent airings and above all else, allow people to learn and understand more about the person. While Kaye and Deluca’s deaths were publicized back when the tragedy occurred, there is only a certain percentage of viewers aware of that news cycle. This brings their passing to the forefront, but also shows how meaningful Robin was to the greater American Idol family. Because this is a series that has been on for so long, we do think there are a number of crew members who have an extremely tight bond behind the scenes.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to Kaye’s family and loved ones during this continuously difficult time. We hope the tribute serves as a comfort.