Paula Abdul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paula Abdul
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Abdul at GalaxyCon Columbus in 2023
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Paula Julie Abdul
June 19, 1962 San Fernando, California, U.S.
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| Alma mater | California State University, Northridge |
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| Years active | 1978–present |
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| Instruments | Vocals |
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Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television star. She started her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers when she was 18. She later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls dance squad. This is where the famous music group the Jacksons discovered her.
After creating dances for Janet Jackson's music videos, Abdul became a top choreographer. Soon after, she signed a record deal with Virgin Records. Her first album, Forever Your Girl (1988), was a huge success. It sold seven million copies in the U.S. and had four number-one hit songs: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract".
Her second album, Spellbound (1991), gave her two more number-one hits, "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one songs, Abdul became one of the most successful female singers of her time.
Many people know Abdul as one of the original judges on the TV show American Idol from 2002 to 2009. She has also been a judge on other shows like The X Factor and So You Think You Can Dance. She has won many awards for her work, including a Grammy Award and two Emmy Awards for her choreography.
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Early Life and First Steps in Dance
Paula Abdul was born in San Fernando, California. Her father, Harry Abdul, was from Syria, and her mother, Lorraine Rykiss, was a concert pianist from Canada. Paula has an older sister named Wendy. She was inspired to become a performer after watching the actor Gene Kelly in the movie Singin' in the Rain.
Abdul started taking dance lessons in ballet, jazz, and tap when she was young. In high school, she was a cheerleader and a top student. When she was 15, she won a scholarship to a dance camp. In 1980, she graduated from Van Nuys High School.
While studying at California State University, Northridge, she tried out for the Los Angeles Lakers cheerleading squad, known as the Laker Girls. She was chosen from 700 people. Within a year, she became their head choreographer, creating all their dance routines.
Career
1982–1986: Becoming a Choreographer
The Jacksons, a famous musical family, noticed Abdul's talent while watching a Lakers game. They hired her to create the dance for their music video "Torture". She said it was scary telling the famous brothers how to dance, but the video was a big success.
This led to more work choreographing music videos. She created the dances for Janet Jackson's hit videos "What Have You Done for Me Lately" and "Nasty". Because of her amazing work, she was also chosen to be the choreographer for the Jacksons' Victory tour.
1987–1999: A Pop Music Superstar
In 1987, Abdul used her own money to record a demo tape of her singing. Soon, she was signed by Virgin Records. Even though she was a great dancer, she was not a trained singer. She worked with coaches to improve her voice.
Her first album, Forever Your Girl (1988), became one of the most successful first albums ever. It took 64 weeks to reach number one on the charts, but it stayed there for 10 weeks. The album had four number-one singles, which was a record at the time. For her song "Opposites Attract," she won her first Grammy Award for Best Music Video.
Abdul's second album, Spellbound (1991), was also very popular. It had two more number-one hits, "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". The music video for "Rush Rush" was inspired by the movie Rebel Without a Cause and starred actor Keanu Reeves. In 1991, Abdul received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her third album, Head over Heels (1995), had a mix of pop and R&B music. The main single, "My Love Is for Real", had a music video inspired by the movie Lawrence of Arabia. After this album, she took a break from singing and focused on choreographing for movies and theater.
2000–2009: Judging on American Idol
In 2002, Abdul became a judge on the new TV show American Idol. She was known for being a kind and supportive judge, especially compared to fellow judge Simon Cowell, who was often very critical. Their arguments on the show became famous, but they were good friends behind the scenes.
While on American Idol, Abdul also worked as a reporter for Entertainment Tonight. In 2007, she had her own reality TV show called Hey Paula, which showed her daily life.
In 2008, Abdul released a new song called "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow". It was her first song on the music charts in over 10 years. In 2009, she released another song, "I'm Just Here for the Music". After contract talks did not work out, Abdul announced in August 2009 that she would not be returning to American Idol.
2010–2015: More TV and Dance Shows
In 2011, Abdul was a judge and producer on a dance competition show called Live to Dance. Later that year, she joined Simon Cowell again as a judge on the first season of the American version of The X Factor.
Over the next few years, Abdul appeared as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars and RuPaul's Drag Race. In 2013, she became a judge on So You Think You Can Dance Australia and later joined the American version of So You Think You Can Dance as a permanent judge for two seasons.
2016–Present: Return to the Stage
In 2016, Abdul performed her first full concert in 26 years. The next year, she went on tour with the bands New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men. It was her first tour in 25 years. She said she missed being on stage and connecting with her fans.
In 2018, she started her own solo tour called Straight Up Paula! to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her first album. In 2019, she began a concert show in Las Vegas called Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl.
Abdul has continued to appear on television. She was a panelist on The Masked Dancer and returned as a guest judge on American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. In 2024, she co-headlined The Magic Summer Tour with New Kids on the Block and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Forever Your Girl (1988)
- Spellbound (1991)
- Head over Heels (1995)
Tours and Residencies
Headlining
- Under My Spell Tour (1991–92)
- Straight Up Paula! (2018–19)
- Straight Up! to Canada Tour (2024; cancelled)
Co-headlining
- Club MTV Live (1989)
- Total Package Tour (2017) (with New Kids on the Block and Boyz II Men)
- The Magic Summer Tour (2024) (with New Kids on the Block and DJ Jazzy Jeff)
Residency
- Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl (2019–20)
See also
In Spanish: Paula Abdul para niños
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Adult Contemporary chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the U.S. Dance Club Songs chart
- List of artists who reached number one on the Australian singles chart
