Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American multi-platinum selling Grammy Award-winning singer, dancer, television personality, jewelry designer, and Emmy Award-winning choreographer. The daughter of Harry and Lorraine Abdul knew early on that she wanted to dip her feet into dance. The youngest of two daughters, Paula’s love for dance originated from the film, Singing In The Rain, whose star, Gene Kelly, was her idol. A student at Van Nuys high school, Paula applied her choreography skills as head of the cheerleading squad. She graduated in 1980, and shimmied her way to Cal State-Northridge, as a TV and radio student. But as her heart was truly in dance, Paula took her LA Lakers Cheerleading gig as a full-time job, after dropping out of college.
Paula began to make inroads in pop music when she was hired as an assistant dance director on the Jacksons’ Victory tour, which led to a job choreographing Janet Jackson’s videos for Control. Abdul’s work on Jackson’s videos helped make the album a hit, making her a sought-after choreographer. After working on #The Tracy Ullman Show and videos for ZZ Top, Duran Duran, and the Pointer Sisters, Abdul began a recording career, releasing her debut album, Forever Your Girl, in 1988. The first two singles drawn from the record were moderate hits, but the release of “Straight Up” at the end of the year made her a superstar. Staying at the top of the charts for three weeks, “Straight Up” began a string of six number one singles (with “The Way That You Love Me” recharting at number three in 1989) that ran through the summer of 1991. While her second album, 1991’s Spellbound, wasn’t as successful, it still sold over three million copies and spent two weeks at number one. Abdul released her third album, Head Over Heels, in the summer of 1995.
Paula returned to acting with cameo appearances in Cybill, The Single Guy, Spin City, All That, The Wayans Bros., and Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. She also starred in made-for-TV movies such as Touched by Evil and The Waiting Game, and appeared in Mr. Rock ‘n’ Roll: The Allan Freed Story. Moving from the realm of television to video, Paula starred in her own exercise videos, Get Up And Dance! and its follow-up, Paula Abdul: Cardio Dance. She is also currently keeping busy with her own dance education company, Co Dance, and as the sweetheart in the trio of American Idol judges.