Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul
The X Factor, American Idol
Second Chance! This doodle, originally auctioned in 2011, was generously re-donated by the winner.
Paula Abdul is a recording artist, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality.
The former L.A. Lakers cheerleader and choreographer 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.
Paula'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, she 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.
Her spectacular big-budget videos helped push the sales of Forever Your Girl past seven million in the U.S. alone. 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.
Paula released her third studio effort, Head Over Heels, in the summer of 1995, but the album failed to match the success of its two predecessors. She withdrew from the spotlight for several years before resurfacing in 2000 to co-write Spinning Around for Kylie Minogue. Debuting at the top of the charts in Australia and the U.K., the single effectively relaunched Minogue's career, and Abdul experienced a similar surge in popularity when she joined the judging panel of American Idol in 2002.
She remained busy since leaving American Idol in 2009. She hosted VH1 Divas Live in September 2009 and appeared in several episodes of Lifetime Television's hit series Drop Dead Diva. In November 2010, she launched and co-founded AuditionBooth.com, a website that allows aspiring talents to connect with casting directors, producers, and managers.
On September 21, 2011, Paula joined Simon Cowell in the first season of the American version of The X Factor.
Paula Abdul Fan Club