Paula Julie Abdul[2] (əb-DOOL; born June 19, 1962)[3] is an American singer and dancer. She had a string of hit songs and choreographed (planned) many dances for herself and others, including singer-songwriter Janet Jackson. Musically, she is known for her late-1980s number-one singles "Straight Up" and "Cold Hearted", along with the 1990s number-one hit "Opposites Attract". She won a Grammy Award for "Best Music Video – Short Form" for "Opposites Attract". She was a judge on the television show American Idol for its first eight seasons. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range.
Paula Abdul | |
|---|---|
 Abdul in 2011 | |
| Born | Paula Julie Abdul June 19, 1962 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | California State University, Northridge |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Height | 152 cm (5 ft 0 in) |
| Spouses | |
| Partner |
|
| Musical career | |
| Genres | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Labels | |
| Website | paulaabdul |
Discography
change
- Studio albums
- Forever Your Girl (1988)
- Spellbound (1991)
- Head over Heels (1995)
Tours and residencies
changeHeadlining
- Under My Spell Tour (1991–92)
- Straight Up Paula! (2018–19)
Co-headlining
- Club MTV Live (1989)[5]
- Total Package Tour (2017)
Residency
- Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl (2019–20)
Filmography
changeFilm
change| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Junior High School | Sherry | |
| 1983 | Private School | Cheerleader | [6] |
| 1986 | A Smoky Mountain Christmas | Choreographer | TV movie |
| 1987 | Can't Buy Me Love | Dancer | |
| 1991 | L.A. Story | Roller Skater | |
| 1997 | Touched By Evil | Ellen Collier | TV movie |
| 1998 | The Waiting Game | Amy Fuentes | TV movie |
| 1999 | Mr. Rock 'n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story | Denise Walton | TV movie |
| 2002 | The Master of Disguise | Choreographer | |
| 2005 | Robots | Watch (voice) | |
| Romy and Michele: In the Beginning | Herself | TV movie | |
| 2009 | Brüno | Herself | |
| 2018 | A Sister's Secret | Detective Tupper | TV movie |
| 2020 | Impractical Jokers: The Movie | Herself | |
| 2022 | Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers | Herself |
Television
change| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Soul Train | Herself | Episode: "New Edition/Paula Abdul" |
| Showtime at the Apollo | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.5" & "#2.12" | |
| 1989 | The Tracey Ullman Show | Herself | Episode: "Episode #3.18" |
| 1990 | Going Live! | Herself | Episode: "Episode #3.30" |
| 1995 | Fully Booked | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.8" |
| 1996 | Muppets Tonight | Herself | Episode: "Paula Abdul" |
| Cybill | Herself | Episode: "Lowenstein's Lament" | |
| The Single Guy | Herself | Episode: "Affair" | |
| 1998 | Saturday Night Live | Herself | Episode: "David Duchovny/Puff Daddy/Jimmy Page" |
| Spin City | Herself | Episode: "It Happened One Night" | |
| 1999 | The Wayans Bros. | Sasha | Episode: "Dream Girl" |
| All That | Herself | Episode: "All That Live! (100th Episode)" | |
| Chicken Soup for the Soul | Herself | Episode: "The Window/Cookie Thief/Appointment/All Good Things" | |
| Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Herself | Episode: "Aging, Not So Gracefully" | |
| 2002 | Mad TV | Herself | Episode: "Episode #8.1" |
| Hollywood Squares | Herself/Panelist | Recurring Guest | |
| 2002–23 | American Idol | Herself/Judge | Main Judge: Seasons 1–8, Guest Judge: Season 19, Guest: Seasons 9 & 12 & 15 & 21 |
| 2003 | Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.3" |
| 2003-06 | E! True Hollywood Story | Herself | Recurring Guest |
| 2004 | Driven | Herself | Episode: "Paula Abdul" |
| The Bernie Mac Show | Herself | Episode: "That Old Mac Magic" | |
| That's So Raven | The Host | Episode: "The Road to Audition" | |
| 2005 | Your Total Health | Herself | Episode: "Episode #2.2" |
| Fashion in Focus | Herself | Episode: "Big Money Under the Tents" | |
| Biography | Herself | Episode: "Paula Abdul" | |
| Dateline NBC | Herself | Episode: "Episode #13.36" | |
| All of Us | Herself | Episode: "Hollywood Swinging" | |
| Saturday Night Live | Herself | Episode: "Johnny Knoxville/System of a Down" | |
| The Contender | Herself | Episode: "Series Finale" | |
| I Love the '80s 3-D | Herself | Main Guest | |
| Less Than Perfect | Kathleen | Episode: "Distractions" | |
| 2005-07 | Family Guy | Herself (voice) | Guest: Season 4, Recurring Cast: Season 6 |
| 2006 | The X Factor | Herself | Recurring Guest: Season 3 |
| 2007 | Hey Paula | Herself | Main Cast |
| The Friday Night Project | Herself/Guest Host | Episode: "Episode #5.6" | |
| 2008 | RAH! Paula Abdul's Cheerleading Bowl | Herself/Host | Main Host |
| Hollywood Residential | Herself | Episode: "The Hotness" | |
| Hotel Babylon | Herself | Episode: "Episode #3.1" | |
| 2009 | InFANity | Herself | Episode: "American Idol" |
| Howie Do It | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.5" | |
| E! Investigates | Herself | Episode: "Stalkers" | |
| VH1 Divas | Herself/Host | Main Host | |
| 2009–11 | Drop Dead Diva | Herself | Recurring Cast: Seasons 1-3 |
| 2011 | Live to Dance | Herself/Judge | Main Judge |
| The X Factor | Herself/Judge | Main Judge: Season 1 | |
| 2012 | I Will Survive | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.14" |
| Dancing with the Stars | Herself | Episode: "Semi-Final Results" | |
| 2013-14 | RuPaul's Drag Race | Herself/Guest Judge | Episode: "Reunited" & "Drag Queens of Talk" |
| 2013-16 | So You Think You Can Dance | Herself/Judge | Guest Judge: Season 10, Main Judge: Season 12–13 |
| 2014 | So You Think You Can Dance Australia | Herself/Judge | Main Judge: Season 4 |
| Neighbours | Herself | Episode: "Episode #1.6910" | |
| 2015 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Herself | Episode: "Suck My Trick" |
| Strictly Come Dancing | Herself | Episode: "Week Four" | |
| 2016 | Cooper Barrett's Guide to Surviving Life | Herself | Episode: "How to Survive Insufficient Funds" |
| Lip Sync Battle | Herself | Episode: "Channing Tatum vs. Jenna Dewan-Tatum" | |
| Bookaboo | Herself | Episode: "Bookaboo's Barkin' New Year's Eve" | |
| 2017 | Fresh Off the Boat | Holly | Episode: "Do You Hear What I Hear?" |
| 2018 | Impractical Jokers: After Party | Herself | Episode: "Bull Shiatsu" |
| The X Factor | Herself/Adviser | Episode: "Judges' Houses 1" | |
| 2019 | America's Got Talent | Herself | Episode: "Live Results Finale" |
| 2020 | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Herself | Episode: "Paula Abdul" |
| Impractical Jokers: Dinner Party | Herself | Episode: "The Backyard Cookout Episode" | |
| 2020-21 | The Masked Dancer | Herself/Panelist | Main Panelist |
| 2021 | For Real: The Story of Reality TV | Herself | Episode: "Make It Work" |
| Secret Celebrity Renovation | Herself | Episode: "Paula Abdul" | |
| The Movies That Made Us | Herself | Episode: "Coming to America" | |
| Superstar | Herself | Episode: "George Michael" | |
| I Can See Your Voice | Herself/Panelist | Episode: "Holiday Spectacular: Debbie Gibson, Nicole Byer, Paula Abdul, Cheryl Hines, Adrienne Houghton" | |
| The Greatest AtHome Videos | Herself | Episode: "Let Paula Be the Judge" | |
| 2022 | Janet Jackson | Herself | Episode: "Part 2 & 4" |
| Bling Empire | Herself | Episode: "Adieu ma Chérie" | |
| American Rescue Dog Show | Herself/Judge | Main Judge | |
| Made for Love | Anydoors | Recurring Cast: Season 2 | |
| 2023 | The Muppets Mayhem | Herself | Episode: "Track 7: Eight Days a Week" |
| Luann & Sonja: Welcome to Crappie Lake | Herself | Episode: "X-Mas in July" & "The Grand Finale" |
As Choreographer
change| Year | Artist | Music Video |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Jacksons | "Torture" |
| 1986 | Janet Jackson | "What Have You Done for Me Lately" |
| "Nasty" | ||
| "When I Think of You" | ||
| "Control" | ||
| ZZ Top | "Velcro Fly" | |
| 1987 | Debbie Gibson | "Shake Your Love" |
| 2014 | Avon | "Check Yourself" |
| Year | Artist | Tour |
|---|---|---|
| 1984 | The Jacksons | "Victory Tour" |
| 1988 | George Michael | "The Faith Tour" |
| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Tracey Ullman Show | Won an Emmy Award |
| Dragnet | ||
| Can't Buy Me Love | ||
| The Running Man | ||
| 1988 | Action Jackson | |
| Coming To America | ||
| Big | [7][8] | |
| 1989 | She's Out of Control | |
| Dance to Win | ||
| The Karate Kid Part III | ||
| 1990 | 17th American Music Awards | Won an Emmy for her own performance, "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me" |
| 62nd Academy Awards | "Under the Sea" from 'The Little Mermaid' and "Best Costume Design" category | |
| 1991 | The Doors | Val Kilmer's choreographer |
| 1996 | Jerry Maguire | |
| 1999 | American Beauty | |
| 2001 | Black Knight | |
| Reefer Madness | Off-Broadway | |
| 2003 | Zoe's Dance Moves | |
| 2009 | American Idol | Season 8-Disco Week (Results Show) |
| 2022 | 1660 Vine |
Awards and honors
changeReferences
change- ↑ "Paula Abdul Signs with Mercury Records". Rolling Stone. Wenner Media. 1997-10-31. web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2015-04-09.
Former Virgin Records recording artist Paula Abdul has signed a multirecord deal with Mercury Records
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". Biography. Archived from the original on 2019-04-15. Retrieved 2019-02-11.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
- ↑ Grein, Paul (July 2, 1989). "'Club MTV' Hits the Road and It's Live". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 5, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
- ↑ Private School (1983) - IMDb, retrieved 2023-02-22
- ↑ West, Kelly (2010-12-29). "Live To Dance Preview: Paula Abdul Returns". CinemaBlend. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul - IMDb". IMDb.com. Retrieved 2021-04-02.
- ↑ "17th American Music Awards". Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ "C + C Tops American Music Awards". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-12-02.pdf
- ↑ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1990/BB-1990-10-13.pdf
- ↑ "The 14th Annual Choreographers Carnival Showcases Movie and Televisions Top Choreographers and Dancers. Honoring The Gene Kelly Legacy, Paula Abdul and Surprise Guest J-Lo!". The Official Website of Choreographers Carnival. Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul, Montel Williams and More Honored at Ellis Island Medals of Honor Ceremony". HOMBRE1. 2019-05-13. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Video! Paula Abdul's Heartfelt Speech as She Accepts GLAAD Award". Extra. 2019-09-30. Retrieved 2023-02-12.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". The Recording Academy. November 19, 2019. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ "Impact Awards Gala Returns to Miami". Aventura Magazine. 2022-05-10. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ↑ PR), Company (EKC) (2014-09-12). "2014 Industry Dance Awards Honoring Nigel Lythgoe, Paula Abdul and More, Rocked the House at Avalon Hollywood on Wednesday Night". GlobeNewswire News Room. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul to Receive Harry Chapin Memorial Humanitarian Award at Music Biz 2017 in Nashville". Music Business Association. 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ↑ "Prize fight". Tulsa World. 2023-09-07. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ Katsilometes, John (2018-11-07). "Remembering our Woman of the Year moment with Paula Abdul". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 2023-08-22.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul, David Parks lauded for their LGBTQ advocacy". Las Vegas Sun. 2019-11-06. Archived from the original on 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul to Receive Always Next, Forever Now Icon Award at Logo's Third Annual 'NewNowNext Awards' 2010". PR Newswire. 2010-06-01. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
- ↑ "'Kids' Choice Awards' Best Moments, From John Cena and Britney Spears to Michelle Obama". TV Insider. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ↑ "Outstanding Choreography - 1990". National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Retrieved June 14, 2021.
- ↑ Mamo, Heran (2020-01-21). "Beyoncé, Zendaya, J Balvin & Lil Nas X Nominated for 2020 Shorty Awards". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-09-16.
- ↑ "2003 Teen Choice Awards Nominees". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. June 18, 2003. Retrieved June 24, 2021.
- ↑ "Paula Abdul". TODAY.com. 2009-08-05. Retrieved 2023-09-10.
Other websites
change
Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Paula Abdul
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paula Abdul.
- Official website
- Paula Abdul at AllMusic
- Paula Abdul at AllMovie
- Paula Abdul on IMDb
- Paula Abdul collected news and commentary at The New York Times
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