Paula Abdul's Real Name: Paula Abdul

Quick answer: The singer and choreographer is known professionally as Paula Abdul. Britannica and Encyclopedia.com independently date her birth to June 19, 1962. Britannica places the birth in the San Fernando Valley, California. A longer middle name listed by Britannica is not independently confirmed here by a second independent publisher, so this page titles her under the public name.

Real name and early life

Independent publishers identify her under the professional name Paula Abdul. Britannica gives the name Paula Julie Abdul, dates the birth to June 19, 1962, in the San Fernando Valley, California, and says she began jazz and tap lessons at an early age, later attended California State University at Northridge, and became one of the Laker Girls, the cheerleading squad for the Los Angeles basketball team, eventually leaving college to choreograph full time. Encyclopedia.com independently dates the birth to June 19, 1962, identifies her as the second daughter of Harry and Lorraine Abdul, and says she grew up in North Hollywood, started dancing at age seven, and later attended Van Nuys High School, where she was head cheerleader. This page records both the San Fernando Valley birth listing and the North Hollywood upbringing listing. The longer middle name rests on the Britannica account alone.

Career highlights

Britannica says her choreography career became widely visible in 1984, when she worked on the Jacksons' video for "Torture," and later on Janet Jackson videos including "Nasty" and "What Have You Done for Me Lately," as well as film work including Coming to America (1988). The same account dates her debut album, Forever Your Girl, to 1988, says it produced four number one singles, and records a 1990 Grammy Award for the "Opposites Attract" video, followed by Spellbound in 1991. Encyclopedia.com independently describes Forever Your Girl (1988) as the album that launched her career as a popular vocalist and notes her work as a Hollywood choreographer. Britannica later says she spent seven years as a judge on American Idol, alongside Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson, and left after declining to renew her contract following the season in which Kara DioGuardi was added as a fourth judge. The same Britannica account records two Emmy Awards for television choreography, for The Tracey Ullman Show and for the 17th annual American Music Awards.

Name notes for searchers

People looking up Paula Abdul are looking for the same singer and choreographer. This page uses the public professional name.