'American Idol' Returns And Will Save A Seat For Robin Kaye, Why The Show Is Dedicated To Her?

American Idol returned on January 26, 2026, with season 9 (season 24 overall). The ABC show will be streaming on Hulu as well from January 27. As the show's return has left fans excited, with the premiere showing that it's dedicated to Robin Kaye, people are now eager to know the reason. In the title card, we see Robin Kaye mentioned, and the show says they would save her a seat. For the unversed, Robin Kaye was the music supervisor on ABC's show, who was murdered in 2025. So, let's know why American Idol season 24 is dedicated to her.

Who was Robin Kaye? What happened to her?

It was in July 2025 that Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Decula, passed away. The couple was murdered by a 22-year-old named Raymond Boodarian. It was four days after their murder that police ran a welfare check and found Robin Kaye and Thomas Decula in a gruesome state. The couple reportedly was out for groceries when Raymond Boodrian entered their house, which was unlocked.

Upon their return, a violent struggle took place, and Robin Kaye and Thomas Decula were killed with their own gun, as reported. When police entered their house, four days after their murder, the entire place was violent with a bloody entry and broken window. Neighbours revealed that they didn't hear from Robin and Thomas for all those 4 days, before the welfare check was done.

Two days after the murder of Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas Decula, Raymond Boodarian was charged with two counts of murder and one count of residential burglary. However, in November 2025, it was declared that Raymond was mentally incompetent to stand trial. Later, the LAPD revealed that Robin and her husband weren't a target for that matter, and the killings were random. As per a December report by Page Six, the judge added that the defendant lacked the capacity to make decisions regarding psychotropic medication, and thus, he was ordered to stay in a state hospital.

Why is American Idol season 24 dedicated to Robin Kaye?

Robin Kaye was a music supervisor of American Idol, and she received a Guild of Music Supervisors Award. Apart from American Idol, she also worked with MTM, MCA and PolyGram. It was in 2009 that she started working on American Idol and was featured in 300 episodes. An official statement was released on Robin Kaye's passing, wherein it was revealed that she was with the show for more than a decade, and how her contribution will forever be alive in the hearts. Danny Gokey talked about Robin Kaye and revealed how humble a person she was. To mention, Season 9 (season 24) is dedicated to her as an honour. Talking about her tragic passing, Danny Gokey said:

"Most of our interactions were about the songs I wanted to sing on the show. She was always really sweet, accommodating and humble. She always tried her best to get the songs that we wanted to sing cleared, but if she got a ‘no,’ she would work quickly to find alternatives for us. I’m shocked by her passing. It is a tragic loss for the entire Idol family."

What do you think about American Idol being dedicated to Robin Kaye?

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