Download Free Paula Abdul * Songs

Paula Abdul music biography continued...

Los Angeles, and began taking dancing lessons as a young girl. In the early Eighties she beat out hundreds of competitors to earn a spot on the Los Angeles Lakers' cheerleading squad, where her abilities as a choreographer were first recognized. A stint choreographing the Laker Girl dances led to a job as an assistant dance director for The Jacksons, which in turn led to a job choreographing videos for Janet Jackson's album 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. The album did not sell well and this, coupled with personal problems, forced Abdul to take a hiatus from the music industry.

In 2002, Abdul was tapped to be one of three judges on a new Fox television singing competition called American Idol. The show went on to be a phenomenal success and catapulted Abdul back into the spotlight, where her every action and word was scrutinized to the point of parody. In 2007, Abdul's Greatest Hits: Straight Up! was released and Abdul appeared in her own reality television series called Hey Paula. She has certainly come a long way, since she was inspired by Gene Kelly as a young girl, conquering the entertainment industry without every losing her charm or compassion for others.