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Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by the Jacksons.
Apr 4, 2022 · Learn how Paula Abdul became a Laker Girl in 1980 and rose to fame as a dancer and choreographer. Find out if she was the first Laker Girl and how she impressed the Jacksons and other artists.
Apr 4, 2022 · Learn how Abdul became a Laker Girl, the head choreographer and a pop star thanks to her dance skills and The Jacksons. Watch the dramatized scenes of the Laker Girls' origin and their impact on the "Showtime" era of the Lakers.
- Gilbert Mcgregor
- Overview
- Early life and Laker Girls
- Choreography
- Music and acting
- American Idol and later activities
- Personal life
Paula Abdul (born June 19, 1962, San Fernando, California, U.S.) American singer, songwriter, dancer, choreographer, and television personality who first gained fame in the 1980s, known for such dance-pop hits as “Forever Your Girl” and “Opposites Attract.” Abdul later served as a judge on a number of TV competition shows, and in the 2000s she help...
Abdul grew up in California’s San Fernando Valley. Inspired by the musical Singin’ in the Rain (1952), she developed an interest in dance at an early age. She took jazz and tap dance lessons, and at age seven she began performing in summer stock theatre. Abdul was a dedicated student, and, while at Van Nuys High School, she served as class president and participated in numerous extracurricular activities. Perhaps most notably, she led the cheerleading squad. She later attended California State University at Northridge, where she studied broadcasting. During her freshman year, Abdul auditioned to be a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. She won a spot with the Laker Girls, and in a matter of months she became head cheerleader and choreographer of the squad. Abdul eventually left college to devote herself full-time to choreography.
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Abdul’s talent was initially discovered in 1984 by the Jackson family, whose members included Michael Jackson. They asked her to choreograph the music video for their single “Torture.” That led to work on other videos, including Janet Jackson’s “Nasty” and “What Have You Done for Me Lately” (both 1986). Abdul also established dance moves for ZZ Top...
In the late 1980s Abdul began recording dance music. Her first album, Forever Your Girl (1988), produced four number one singles, including “Straight Up,” “Forever Your Girl,” and “Cold Hearted.” She won a 1990 Grammy Award for her music video for the song “Opposites Attract.” In 1991 she released Spellbound, which featured two more number one singles: “Rush Rush” and “The Promise of a New Day.” Head over Heels (1995), however, failed to match the success of her earlier albums.
Abdul subsequently shifted her focus to acting. By this time she had appeared in a number of films and TV shows, typically as a dancer in small or uncredited parts. In 1997, however, she undertook a dramatic role, portraying a survivor of sexual assault in the TV movie Touched by Evil. The thriller received mixed reviews, and Abdul’s later acting credits were largely guest parts on TV series, including in Spin City and Sabrina the Teenage Witch.
Abdul carried her television appeal over to her role as a judge on American Idol, which debuted on Fox in 2002 and became one of the most-watched shows in the United States. During her seven years as a judge alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, she was noted for her respect and concern for the contestants. This often led to confrontations with Cowell, who was more harsh in his assessments. A fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, was added to the cast in the show’s eighth season. The following season Abdul declined to renew her contract, and she left the show in 2009, though she served as a guest judge on several occasions.
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Abdul was involved in numerous other projects. In 2007 she starred in a docuseries about her life, Hey Paula, and four years later she served as a judge on the reality television show The X Factor. More reality series followed, including Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. In addition, Abdul resumed her singing career. In 2016 she embarked on her first tour in some 25 years, as a supporting act for headliner New Kids on the Block. Two years later she staged a solo tour, and from 2019 to 2020 Abdul had a residency show in Las Vegas.
Abdul was married to actor Emilio Estevez from 1992 to 1994. Two years after that relationship ended, she wed Brad Beckerman, a clothing manufacturer. The couple divorced in 1998.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Paula Abdul is a global icon who started as one of the first Laker girls at 18 and became a music superstar, choreographer, and TV personality. She has sold 60 million records, won multiple awards, and choreographed for many superstars and films.
Learn about Paula Abdul, the American pop singer, dancer, choreographer, actress and TV personality. Find out how she became a Laker Girl, a Grammy winner, an American Idol judge and more.
