Paula Julie Abdul (born June , ) is an American singer, songwriter,
dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began
her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of
and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she
was discovered by The Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for
Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music
video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Her
debut studio album Forever Your Girl () became one of the most
successful debut albums at that time, selling million copies in the
United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles
from a debut album on the Billboard Hot chart: "Straight Up",
"Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her six
number one singles on the Billboard Hot tie her with Diana Ross for
seventh among the female solo performers who have topped the
chart.Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series
American Idol from to , and has since appeared as a judge on The X
Factor, Live to Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance. Notably, she
received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy
Me Love (), The Running Man (), Big (), Coming to America (), Action
Jackson (), The Doors (), Jerry Maguire (), and American Beauty ().
She has received five MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning
twice, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for
"Opposites Attract" in . She received the Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show,
and her own performance at the American Music Awards in . Abdul was
honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the
first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice
Awards' Hall of Fame Award.Abdul was born in San Fernando, California
to Jewish parents. Abdul's father, Harry Abdul, was born into the
Syrian-Jewish community in Aleppo, Syria, and was raised in Brazil and
emigrated to the United States. Her mother, the concert pianist
Lorraine M. Rykiss, grew up in one of the two Canadian Jewish families
in Minnedosa, Manitoba and has Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors from
Ukraine. Abdul has a sister named Wendy. As an avid dancer, Abdul was
inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film
Singin' in the Rain.
dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began
her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of
and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she
was discovered by The Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for
Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music
video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Her
debut studio album Forever Your Girl () became one of the most
successful debut albums at that time, selling million copies in the
United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles
from a debut album on the Billboard Hot chart: "Straight Up",
"Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her six
number one singles on the Billboard Hot tie her with Diana Ross for
seventh among the female solo performers who have topped the
chart.Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series
American Idol from to , and has since appeared as a judge on The X
Factor, Live to Dance, and So You Think You Can Dance. Notably, she
received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy
Me Love (), The Running Man (), Big (), Coming to America (), Action
Jackson (), The Doors (), Jerry Maguire (), and American Beauty ().
She has received five MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning
twice, as well as receiving the Grammy Award for Best Music Video for
"Opposites Attract" in . She received the Primetime Emmy Award for
Outstanding Choreography twice for her work on The Tracey Ullman Show,
and her own performance at the American Music Awards in . Abdul was
honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and is the
first entertainer to be honored with the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice
Awards' Hall of Fame Award.Abdul was born in San Fernando, California
to Jewish parents. Abdul's father, Harry Abdul, was born into the
Syrian-Jewish community in Aleppo, Syria, and was raised in Brazil and
emigrated to the United States. Her mother, the concert pianist
Lorraine M. Rykiss, grew up in one of the two Canadian Jewish families
in Minnedosa, Manitoba and has Ashkenazi Jewish ancestors from
Ukraine. Abdul has a sister named Wendy. As an avid dancer, Abdul was
inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in the film
Singin' in the Rain.
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