Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962)[2] is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as acheerleader for theLos Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for theLaker Girls, where she was discovered bythe Jacksons.[3] After choreographing music videos forJanet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed toVirgin Records.
Abdul's debut studio albumForever Your Girl (1988) became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles from a debut album on theBillboard Hot 100 chart: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her second albumSpellbound (1991) scored her two more chart-toppers – "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tiedDiana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time.[4] As of 2025, Abdul places seventh along withDiana Ross andLady Gaga for the most number-one singles by female artists in the U.S. to date.
Abdul was discovered bythe Jacksons, after a few of the band members had watched her while attending a Los Angeles Lakers game.[15] She was signed to do the choreography for the video to their single "Torture".[16][14] Abdul recalled feeling intimidated by having to tell the Jacksons how to dance, stating that she was "not quite sure how [she] got through that."[17] The success of the choreography in the video led to Abdul's career as choreographer of music videos, notablyJanet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately", "Nasty", "When I Think of You" and "Control" videos.[18] It was also due to the success of the video that Abdul was chosen to be the choreographer for the Jacksons'Victory tour.[11][18] Abdul also choreographed sequences for the giant keyboard scene involvingTom Hanks's character inBig (1988).[19][20]
1987–1999:Forever Your Girl,Spellbound andHead over Heels
Abdul at the 42nd Primetime Emmy Awards, 1990
In 1987, Abdul used her savings to make a singing demo.[21] Soon thereafter, she was signed to the newly formedVirgin Records America byJeff Ayeroff, who had worked in marketing atA&M Records with Janet Jackson. Although she was a skilled dancer and choreographer, Abdul was a relatively untrained singer, and worked with various coaches and record producers to develop her vocal ability. She has amezzo-soprano vocal range.[22][23] Ayeroff recalled signing Abdul to a recording contract years later, stating: "She said, 'I can sing, you know. I want to do an album.' Paula's in our industry. Here's someone with a personality and she's gorgeous, and she can dance. If she can sing, she could be a star. So she went into the studio and cut a demo record and she could sing."[24]
Abdul's debut studio album,Forever Your Girl (1988), would become the most successful debut album in history at that time, reaching number one on theBillboard 200 chart after 64 weeks (where it would spend 10 weeks at number one), and set a record for the most singles from a debut album to reach number one on theBillboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, with four: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract".[25][26] The album was later certified 7× platinum by the RIAA. A remix album,Shut Up and Dance: Mixes, was also released and reached number seven in the United States, becoming one of the most successful remix albums to date.[27] At the32nd Grammy Awards, Abdul won her first Grammy for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract".[28][29] She was also nominated forBest Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Straight Up", but lost toBonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time".[28] In 1991, singer Yvette Marine filed a lawsuit against Abdul and the Virgin label, alleging that it was her vocals that were used on several tracks fromForever Your Girl, most notably "Opposites Attract".[22][30][31] A jury sided with Abdul and the label two years later in 1993, rejecting Marine's claim to credit and copyright compensation.[32][33]
Abdul saw continued success with her second studio albumSpellbound (1991), which saw two additional number-one singles: "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". A third single "Blowing Kisses in the Wind" reached number six for three consecutive weeks.Spellbound retained thedance-pop sound fromForever Your Girl and introduced elements ofR&B, and sold 7 million copies worldwide.[22][34] The music video for "Rush Rush" featured aRebel Without a Causemotif, starringKeanu Reeves in theJames Dean role.[35] The album's other singles, "Vibeology" and "Will You Marry Me?", saw moderate success on theBillboard Hot 100, reaching the top 20.[36][37] In 1991, Abdul starred in a popularDiet Coke commercial in which she danced with a digital image of her idol, a youngGene Kelly.[38] Abdul was honored with a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame in December 1991.[39] Abdul promotedSpellbound through theUnder My Spell Tour, which was named by an MTV contest for fans.[40][41] The tour was nearly cancelled due to an accident during rehearsals, but began on schedule in October 1991 and concluded in August 1992.[41]
After her initial period of professional success, Abdul's career entered a brief hiatus while she sought treatment for personal and physical issues.[22][42] Her third studio album,Head over Heels (1995), retained bothpop and R&B elements and saw moderate commercial success, peaking at number 18 on theBillboard 200 chart in the United States and later becoming her lowest-selling release.[22] The lead single fromHead over Heels, "My Love Is for Real", featured a fusion ofR&B and traditionalMiddle Eastern instruments, and was performed with Yemeni-Israeli singerOfra Haza. Its accompanyingLawrence of Arabia-inspired music video was played in theaters across the world as a prologue to the filmClueless. The single performed well on theBillboardHot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it reached number one, and peaked at number 28 on theBillboard Hot 100. "Crazy Cool" and "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up" served as the album's second and third singles. To date,Head over Heels has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States.[43] In 1995, Abdul released a dance workout video entitledPaula Abdul's Get Up and Dance! (re-released on DVD in 2003), a fast-paced, hip-hop style workout.[44] In 1997, Abdul co-wrote a song called "Spinning Around" with record producer and composerKara DioGuardi, which was intended to be her comeback single from a new album, but the plan never materialized and the song was later given toKylie Minogue.[22][45] That year, Abdul appeared in theABC television filmTouched By Evil, playing a businesswoman who discovers that her boyfriend is a serial rapist.[46][47] In 1998, she released a second workout video calledCardio Dance (re-released on DVD in 2000).[48] Thereafter, Abdul served as the choreographer for several film and theater productions, including the 1998 musicalReefer Madness and the cheerleading scenes inAmerican Beauty (1999).
2000–2009:American Idol,Hey Paula and return to music
In 2000, Virgin Records, with whom Abdul was already no longer affiliated,[49] released the first of two compilation albums by Abdul,Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits. Abdul co-produced the 2001 pilot forSkirts, anMTV television series about a high school cheerleading squad; Abdul was also set to appear as the head coach. The pilot never aired.[50] In 2002, she began appearing as one of three judges on theFox reality competition seriesAmerican Idol, where she won praise as a sympathetic and compassionate judge and mentor. She seemed especially kind compared to fellow judgeSimon Cowell, who was often blunt in his appraisals of the contestants' performances. When she realized that Cowell's over-the-top judging style was heartbreaking for many young contestants, Abdul was horrified and she considered leaving the series. Although their differences often resulted in heated on-air exchanges and confrontations, Cowell says he played a major role in convincing Abdul not to leave the series.[51] While serving as a judge onAmerican Idol, Abdul accepted a second assignment as reporter forEntertainment Tonight.[52] In December 2005, Abdul launched a cheerleading/fitness/dance DVD series calledCardio Cheer, which is marketed to children and teenage girls involved with cheerleading and dance.[53] Abdul also choreographed The King's touchdown celebration, as seen in a string ofBurger King television commercials that aired during the 2005–06 NFL season.[54] In 2006, Abdul appeared on thethird series ofThe X Factor UK as a guest judge during the auditions, sitting alongside judges Cowell,Sharon Osbourne andLouis Walsh.
A second compilation album,Greatest Hits: Straight Up!, was released in 2007 by the Virgin label, who also made all of Abdul's releases under their label available fordigital download oniTunes. That year,Bravo began airing a reality television series centered around Abdul,Hey Paula, which followed her through her day-to-day life.[22][45][55] Abdul's behavior as depicted on the series was described as "erratic" by comedianRosie O'Donnell and was criticized by audiences and critics, andHey Paula was cancelled after a single season.[56]
In 2007, Paula Abdul Jewelry launched its nationwide consumer debut onQVC, with the tagline "fashion jewelry designed with heart and soul."[57] Abdul's first QVC appearance resulted in 15 sellouts of her first jewelry collection involving more than 34,000 pieces.[58] In 2008, Abdul returned to music charts for the first time in nearly thirteen years with the single "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow", the first track on the albumRandy Jackson's Music Club Vol. 1.[59] The song debuted onOn Air with Ryan Seacrest,[60] and Abdul performed it during the pre-game show forSuper Bowl XLII.[61] "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" was a modest comeback hit for Abdul, peaking at number 62 on theBillboard Hot 100 and number 2 on theBillboardHot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The moderate success led to reports of Abdul beginning work on a new album, but this never materialized.[62][63] Abdul also made a brief guest appearance on an episode of the British television seriesHotel Babylon, which aired in the United Kingdom in February 2008.[64]
In January 2009, Abdul hosted "RAH!," a cheerleading competition onMTV.[65] "RAH!" featured five collegiate squads competing in a series of challenges with Abdul crowning one the winner.[66] In May 2009, Abdul debuted her latest original song to date, "I'm Just Here for the Music" (originally an unreleased song fromKylie Minogue's ninth albumBody Language) on theRyan Seacrest RadioKIIS-FM show and performed the single on theAmerican Idol. "I'm Just Here for the Music" reached number 87 on theBillboard Hot 100, becoming Abdul's fifteenth song to appear on the chart.[67][68]
In an interview with theLos Angeles Times in July 2009, Abdul's managerDavid Sonenberg told the newspaper that, "Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back onIdol."[69] This came about as a result of stalled negotiations between Abdul and the series. In August, after numerous contract negotiations, Abdul confirmed that she would not return toIdol for its ninth season.[70]The Times cited reports Abdul had been earning as much as $5 million per season and that she was reportedly seeking as much as $20 million to return.[71] Abdul was replaced byEllen DeGeneres. Abdul claimed her departure fromIdol was not about money, but that she had to stand on principle.[72][73][74]
2010–2015:Live to Dance,The X Factor andSo You Think You Can Dance
In January 2010, Abdul presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to choreographerJulie McDonald at the 11th Anniversary show ofThe Carnival: Choreographer's Ball.[75] In November, Abdul launched and co-founded AuditionBooth.com, a website that allows aspiring talents to connect with casting directors, producers, and managers.[76]
In January 2011, Abdul began appearing on the short-livedCBS reality competition seriesLive to Dance, where she was also an executive producer.[77] Abdul said that unlikeAmerican Idol,Live to Dance is less about "competition" and more about "celebration".[78] After its first season of seven episodes, it was cancelled by CBS.[79] In May 2011, it was announced that Abdul would rejoin Cowell on the first season of the American edition ofThe X Factor.[80] In January 2012, Abdul announced that she would not return as a judge for the series'second season.[81][82] Abdul was replaced byBritney Spears. In October 2012, Abdul served as a guest judge during week four of theAll-Stars version ofDancing with the Stars.[83] In April 2013, Abdul appeared on the Top 5 results show ofseason 12 ofAmerican Idol to compliment contestantCandice Glover on her performance of "Straight Up".[84]
On July 9, 2013, Abdul was a guest judge onSo You Think You Can Dance (season ten).[85] In October 2013, Abdul was named as a judge on the revampedSo You Think You Can Dance Australia, which aired on Australia'sNetwork Ten from February 9 through May 1, 2014. Abdul was present as a permanent member of the judge's panel for all episodes of this season. She later became a permanent judge of the American version starting with its twelfth season.[86] In January 2017, Abdul announced that she would not be returning as a judge for its fourteenth season because of her tour schedule.[87]
In April 2014, Abdul was a guest judge onRuPaul's Drag Race (episode "Queens of Talk"), which reunited her with previousIdol contestantAdore Delano. In June 2014, Abdul made a cameo appearance on the Australian soap operaNeighbours and shared scenes with established characterKarl Kennedy (Alan Fletcher).[88] In 2015, Abdul made a guest appearance on the comedy sitcomReal Husbands of Hollywood on its season 4 premiere. She was shown in a comedic scene withArsenio Hall where she was trying to kick Hall out of her pool house. On November 16, 2015, Abdul along withCharles "Chucky" Klapow, Renee Richie, andNakul Dev Mahajan won the World Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography Digital Format for the video 'Check Yourself'. On November 22, 2015, Abdul andDonnie Wahlberg presented Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock at the43rd American Music Awards; the award Abdul won at the 1990 AMAs, presented to her by Wahlberg.
2016–present: Return to performing, Las Vegas residency
On August 6, 2016, Abdul performed a full headline set for the first time in 26 years at the Mixtape Festival inHershey, Pennsylvania.[89] In November 2016,New Kids on the Block announced that Abdul would be touring with them andBoyz II Men on theirTotal Package Tour in 2017; her first tour in 25 years.[90] The tour began on May 12 inColumbus, Ohio, and concluded on July 16, 2017, inHollywood, Florida, for a total of 47 shows.[91][92] In an interview withElle magazine, Abdul stated there were "many reasons" she decided to return to the stage after over two decades, saying: "I took a long break and had sustained some injuries in the past. Then I returned to television withAmerican Idol and that took up a good decade of my life. Then I went out to do some more television, as well. I always wanted to get back on stage, because I missed it. I wanted to get back in close contact with the people who have supported me all throughout my career and be able to see them again. Plus, I was getting asked all the time if I would ever do it again! I finally said, You know what, I want to and I'm going to make it a priority. I'm really passionate about it and it's fun, and I want to connect with my fans around the country."[93]
In July 2018, Abdul announced that she would embark on a solo headlining tour across North America that fall, entitledStraight Up Paula!, as part of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of her debut studio albumForever Your Girl.[94][95] The tour began inTulsa, Oklahoma, on October 18 and concluded inLos Angeles, California, on June 7, 2019, for a total of 25 shows.[94]
Abdul also performed at thefourteenth series finale ofAmerica's Got Talent with Light Balance Kids, Brian King Joseph, and Tyler Butler-Figueroa to surprise Cowell. In October 2020, it was announced that Abdul would serve as a panelist for Fox's reality competition,The Masked Dancer.[99] In April 2021,ABC announced that Abdul would return toAmerican Idol as a guest-judge whileLuke Bryan was out sick after being diagnosed withCOVID-19.[100] She returned as a guest judge onDancing with the Stars for Music Video Night in its32nd season.[101] In 2023, Abdul joined the producing team of the Broadway musicalHow to Dance in Ohio.[102] She also appeared as a contestant onCelebrity Wheel of Fortune.[103] In 2024, Abdul co-headlinesThe Magic Summer Tour.[104] Her Straight Up! to Canada Tour that was scheduled to commence in September 2024 has since been cancelled.[105]
Abdul married actorEmilio Estevez in 1992, and filed for divorce in 1994.[108][109] In 1995, Abdul stated that the reason for their divorce was that she wanted children and Estevez, who had two children from a previous relationship, did not.[110] Abdul married clothing designer Brad Beckerman in 1996, at the New England Carousel Museum inBristol, Connecticut. They filed for divorce in 1998, after 17 months of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences.[111]
Beliefs
Abdul is observant in her Jewish faith,[112] and is proud of her heritage. She once stated, "My father is a Syrian Jew whose family immigrated to Brazil. My mother is Canadian with Jewish roots. My dream is to go toIsrael for a real holiday." In November 2006, when Israeli Tourism MinisterIsaac Herzog invited her to Israel, Abdul responded with a hug, adding, "I will come; you have helped me make a dream come true."[113] In 2013, at the age of 51, Abdul had herbat mitzvah inSafed, Israel, at theInternational Center for Tzfat Kabbalah,[114] a museum and spiritual retreat for the study ofKabbalah – Jewish mysticism. In 2003, Abdul was reported as a practitioner ofTranscendental Meditation.[115]
Abdul is a dog lover who raised awareness aboutNational Guide Dog Month in May 2009, and she teamed up withDick Van Patten to help people with blindness to have more independence through the help of guide dogs.[116] She does not wear real fur.[117]
Health
Abdul has claimed that she was seriously injured in a plane crash inIowa in[118] 1992 during herUnder My Spell Tour, necessitating fifteencervical spinal surgeries. The accuracy of her claim has been questioned by some publications, such asJezebel,[119] in part because theNational Transportation Safety Board, which is tasked with investigating all aviation accidents in the United States, has no record of an accident matching Abdul's description.[118] In response to skepticism, she said in 2020, "There are seven other people that were on the plane, who were in that plane accident with me. So, I really don't care what people have to say. I don't."[119][importance?] No one else who may have been aboard the flight has publicly corroborated Abdul's account, though she claims she had them signnon-disclosure agreements.[118]
In 1994, Abdul sought treatment forbulimia nervosa, which she revealed years later had first developed during her teens and only intensified after she became a pop star. She said: "I learned at a very early age I didn't fit in physically. I learned through years of rejections from auditions. I would ask myself, 'Why can't I be tall and skinny like the other dancers?' I felt nervous and out of control, and all I could think about was food. Food numbed the fear and anxiety. I'd eat and then run to the bathroom."[42]
In 2005, Abdul said she had been diagnosed in November 2004 with a neurological disorder causing chronic pain,reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), following a "cheerleading accident" at age 17.[120] She discussed the diagnosis in response to allegations of drug use.[120]
In April 2006, Abdul filed a report at a Hollywood police station stating she had been a victim of battery at a private party at about 1 am on April 2, according to LAPD spokesman Lt. Paul Vernon.[121] "According to Abdul, the man at the party argued with her, grabbed her by the arm and threw her against a wall," Vernon said. "She said she had sustained a concussion and spinal injuries."[122]
Allegations of drug use
Substance abuse allegations arose as the result of what some described as "erratic behavior"[120] by Abdul during episodes ofAmerican Idol. After reading these allegations on message boards, Abdul toldPeople in April 2005 about her RSD diagnosis; she added that she was pain-free following treatment withanti-inflammatory medication.[120] Allegations arose again in January 2007 when videos circulated on the Internet of Abdul appearing to sway in her chair and slur her speech during a set of interviews.[123] Abdul's publicist attributed this to fatigue and technical difficulties during the recording of the interviews.[123] It was revealed on the Bravo showHey Paula, which had followed Abdul with a video camera prior to the interviews, that Abdul had not been sleeping, perhaps suffering from some mild form ofinsomnia.[124] In February 2007, Abdul toldUs Weekly that she had never been drunk or used illegal drugs, and called the allegations "lies".[125]
In May 2009,Ladies' Home Journal posted an article on its website that said that Abdul told them she stayed at theLa Costa Resort and Spa inCarlsbad, California, for three days the previous year to recover fromphysical dependence on prescription pain medications.[126][127] The medications, prescribed due to injuries and her RSD diagnosis, included a pain patch, nerve medication, and a muscle relaxant. According to the article, Abdul said the medications made her "get weird" at times and that she suffered from physicalwithdrawal symptoms during her recovery.[127] Later that same week, in an interview with Detroit radio stationWKQI, Abdul rejected the article's accuracy. She told the radio station she never checked into a rehab clinic and never had a drug abuse problem.[128]
2004 car crash
In December 2004, Abdul was driving herMercedes-Benz on a Los Angeles-area freeway when she changed lanes and hit another vehicle, but did not stop or render assistance.[129] The driver and passenger took a photograph with a cell phone camera and wrote down the license plate number of the car, which was traced to Abdul. In March 2005, Abdul was fined US$900 and given 24 months of informalprobation after pleadingnolo contendere (no contest) tomisdemeanorhit-and-run driving. She was ordered to pay US$775 for damage to the other car.[130]
2005 accusations by Corey Clark
In May 2005, ABC'sPrimetime Live reported claims by season 2American Idol contestantCorey Clark that he and Abdul had had an affair during that season, and that she had coached him on how to succeed in the competition.[131] Some considered Clark's timing suspicious as he was marketing a CD and trying to get a book deal, but Clark said that his career was being prejudiced because of his relationship with Abdul, and that is why he came forward with the information to clear his name.[131]
For the most part, Abdul refused to comment on Clark's allegations.Simon Cowell came to Abdul's defense,[132] stating, "It was just somebody using her to get a lot of publicity for an appalling record, full stop."[133][134] Abdul appeared in aSaturday Night Live skit, making light of the situation.[135] In August 2005, the Fox network confirmed that Abdul would be returning to the show, as the investigation had found "insufficient evidence that the communications between Mr. Clark and Ms. Abdul in any way aided his performance".[136]
2008 stalking incident
On November 11, 2008, a 30-year-old woman named Paula Goodspeed was found dead in her car outside of Abdul'sLos Angeles home inSherman Oaks,[citation needed] California.[137] The death was ruled a suicide by drug overdose, and she was found surrounded by prescription pills, along with photos and CDs of Abdul. Goodspeed was an obsessive fan of Abdul, having legally changed her name to Paula, drawn many pictures of her, sent her flowers and auditioned for Abdul onseason 5 ofAmerican Idol in 2005 at a stop inAustin, Texas, before being dismissed from the show.[138] Goodspeed had been accused in the press of being acelebrity stalker but her relatives disputed the claim.[139][140][141]
2023 sexual assault lawsuit against Nigel Lythgoe
On December 29, 2023, Abdul filed a lawsuit accusing producerNigel Lythgoe of sexual assault when they worked together onAmerican Idol in the 2000s. Lythgoe denied the allegations.[142] It was reported in December 2024 that the case had been settled.[143] Abdul commented on the settlement, "I am grateful that this chapter has successfully come to a close and is now something I can now put behind me," while expressing optimism that her experience could inspire women facing similar obstacles.[144]
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