Who Was Robin Kaye? What to Know About Late American Idol Music Supervisor

Robin Kaye was beloved in the entertainment industry before her death at age 70.

Kaye was best known as a music supervisor for American Idol, where she notably secured Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” for Adam Lambert in 2009.

“We always were talking about Led Zeppelin because everybody knew that we couldn’t do Led Zeppelin,” Kaye recalled in an interview in 2009, per The Hollywood Reporter. “I think Adam brought it up and I said, ‘No, you can’t do it.’ When we started really seeing how talented Adam was, I had a feeling they would consider him. I couldn’t have asked them just in general ‘let us do it this year.’ They wouldn’t have said yes, but it made sense with Adam.”

She continued, “It’s always worth asking. I never take a ‘no’ from anybody as a permanent ‘no.’ This business changes too much and situations change.”

Kaye and her husband, Thomas Deluca, were killed at their home in 2025.

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Robin Kaye Was a Music Supervisor

Kaye worked behind the scenes on shows like American Idol and Lip Sync Battleas a music supervisor.

“The general public assumes that music supervision is a glamorous and exciting job — being paid to work with one of everyone’s favorite pastimes, music,” Kaye said, per Variety. “[But] in most films and scripted television … the music is usually the very last thing that happens, and sometimes there is not enough budget left to fill all the music needs. Music supervisors are often expected to work fast and pull miracles creatively and financially to complete the project.”

Robin Kaye Was Vice President of the Guild of Music Supervisors

Kaye previously served as the vice president of the Guild of Music Supervisors in her free time. She won the GMS Award for music supervision in reality television three years in a row from 2012 to 2014.

“She was a fierce advocate of supervisors, she was a smooth, pragmatic and calming presence to all of us,” founding member of the Guild of Music Supervisors Jonathan McHugh told The Hollywood Reporter in 2025. “She was working with the Guild early, she produced our award show, she believed in the goal of helping improve the craft and make sure the bigger supervisors were helping the smaller ones.”

Robin Kaye Was Married to Thomas Deluca

Kaye was married to Deluca at the time of their deaths.

Robin Kaye and Husband Thomas Deluca Were Killed

Us Weekly confirmed in July 2025 that two victims were found dead in their Encino, California, home. Kaye and Deluca’s names weren’t immediately released to the public.

The LAPD later confirmed that Encino resident Raymond Boodarian had been arrested in connection to the deaths and charged with two counts of murder and a count of residential burglary. Boodarian appeared for a second time in court in August 2025, where it was reported that he was unresponsive, and the criminal prosecution was suspended. He is set to appear in court for a competency review in September 2025.

People reported in August 2025 that Kaye and Deluca died from multiple gunshot wounds. While Kaye’s death came minutes after sustaining the wounds, the outlet reported that Deluca died almost immediately. Their deaths are listed as homicides on the death certificate.

“We are devastated to hear of Robin and her dear husband, Tom’s, passing,” an American Idol rep shared in a statement to Us in July 2025. “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.”

Robin Kaye Was Previously Worried About Her Safety Before Death

Kaye allegedly reached out to a private security company as burglaries increased in her neighborhood. At one point, she spoke with owner Kris Herzog, who told People that the home’s alarm system was off and the door was open at the time of the incident.

“This is the first time in my career that what I predicted potentially could happen 90,000 times … actually happened,” he said. “The door was left open. The alarm was turned off. And Boodarian walked right in. I told [Kaye] at the time … ‘You have to be able to defend yourself if you only have a second notice.’”