103-571: Deborah Ann Gibson (born August 31, 1970) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Gibson released her debut album Out of the Blue (1987) at age 16, writing and largely producing the material. The album spawned several international hits, later being certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America . One of those singles, " Foolish Beat ", made Gibson the youngest female artist to write, produce, and perform
206-581: A Billboard Hot 100 number-one single. Her double-platinum second album Electric Youth (1989) gave Gibson another U.S. number-one hit with " Lost in Your Eyes ". Gibson is the sole songwriter on all of her singles to reach the top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100. She was recognized by ASCAP as Songwriter of the Year, along with Bruce Springsteen , in 1989. Gibson continued to record and release music throughout
309-555: A DVD containing the album's five music videos, the live video Live in Concert: The "Out of the Blue" Tour , and a special interview video. All tracks are written by Deborah Gibson Musicians Production Sales figures based on certification alone. Shipments figures based on certification alone. Paula Abdul Paula Julie Abdul (born June 19, 1962) is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as
412-626: A cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 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 (1988) became one of
515-950: A demonstration tape of hers submitted to a radio personality was eventually shared with an executive at Atlantic Records . Solely on the basis of Gibson's original song " Only in My Dreams ", she was signed to a development deal and began a promotional tour of club venues throughout the United States. Gibson spent much of 1986 and the beginning of 1987 building her songwriting catalog, while continuing to play club dates. During her promotional tour, Gibson continued attending classes at Calhoun High School in Merrick, New York, where she later graduated as an honor student. Diane Gibson, Debbie's mother and manager, accompanied her daughter on many of these track dates. "We played dance clubs, straight clubs, and gay clubs," Diane has said. The single "Only in My Dreams"
618-485: A Los Angeles Lakers game. She was signed to do the choreography for the video to their single " Torture ". Abdul recalled feeling intimidated by having to tell the Jacksons how to dance, stating that she was "not quite sure how [she] got through that." The success of the choreography in the video led to Abdul's career as choreographer of music videos, notably Janet Jackson 's " What Have You Done for Me Lately ", " Nasty ", " When I Think of You " and " Control " videos. It
721-573: A New Day ". A third single " Blowing Kisses in the Wind " reached number six for three consecutive weeks. Spellbound retained the dance-pop sound from Forever Your Girl and introduced elements of R&B , and sold 7 million copies worldwide. The music video for "Rush Rush" featured a Rebel Without a Cause motif , starring Keanu Reeves in the James Dean role. The album's other singles, " Vibeology " and " Will You Marry Me? ", saw moderate success on
824-729: A New Day ". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time. Abdul was one of the original judges on the television series American Idol from 2002 to 2009, and has since appeared as a judge on The X Factor , Live to Dance , So You Think You Can Dance , and The Masked Dancer . She received choreography credits in numerous films, including Can't Buy Me Love (1987), The Running Man (1987), Coming to America (1988), Action Jackson (1988), The Doors (1991), Jerry Maguire (1996), and American Beauty (1999). She received 17 MTV Video Music Award nominations, winning five, as well as receiving
927-451: A brief hiatus while she sought treatment for personal and physical issues. Her third studio album, Head over Heels (1995), retained both pop and R&B elements and saw moderate commercial success, peaking at number 18 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and later becoming her lowest-selling release. The lead single from Head over Heels , " My Love Is for Real ", featured
1030-530: A cameo appearance on the Australian soap opera Neighbours and shared scenes with established character Karl Kennedy ( Alan Fletcher ). In 2015, Abdul made a guest appearance on the comedy sitcom Real Husbands of Hollywood on its season 4 premiere. She was shown in a comedic scene with Arsenio Hall where she was trying to kick Hall out of her pool house. On November 16, 2015, Abdul along with Charles "Chucky" Klapow , Renee Richie, and Nakul Dev Mahajan won
1133-661: A camp on the West Coast . She is the founder and creator of Camp Electric Youth, a children's summer day camp, which ran from July 7–18, 2008. It claims to be the first camp of its kind in the Los Angeles area. The camp was reportedly attended by "over 120 talented singers, actors, and dancers" from around the world. Gibson was a judge for the online talent competition, Total Pop Star , along with Andrew Van Slee (producer and judge) and Joey Lawrence (from Blossom ). The first season ran from November 12, 2007 – May 30, 2008, though it
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#17328524289241236-525: A duet with Craig McLachlan , taken from the original cast recording, reached number 13 on the UK Singles Chart in 1993. After returning to the United States, she appeared in the Broadway touring production, this time playing Rizzo. She played Fanny Brice in a revamped Funny Girl tour. She has had many successful theatre credits; she was among the many actresses who took the starring role of Belle in
1339-460: A former pop star, trying to make a comeback, who finds herself better suited as a school's choir director. She also recorded a song titled "Wonderland" for the film. In June 2017, Billboard Gibson achieved her highest-charting hit in more than 25 years in her duet with Sir Ivan on "I Am Peaceman", which hit number 26 on the Billboard Dance Club chart . In June 2018, Gibson appeared in
1442-479: A fusion of R&B and traditional Middle Eastern instruments, and was performed with Yemeni-Israeli singer Ofra Haza . Its accompanying Lawrence of Arabia -inspired music video was played in theaters across the world as a prologue to the film Clueless . The single performed well on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, where it reached number one, and peaked at number 28 on
1545-538: A guest-judge while Luke Bryan was out sick after being diagnosed with COVID-19 . She returned as a guest judge on Dancing with the Stars for Music Video Night in its 32nd season . In 2023, Abdul joined the producing team of the Broadway musical How to Dance in Ohio . She also appeared as a contestant on Celebrity Wheel of Fortune . In 2024, Abdul co-headlines The Magic Summer Tour . Her Straight Up! to Canada Tour that
1648-444: A high school cheerleading squad; Abdul was also set to appear as the head coach. The pilot never aired. In 2002, she began appearing as one of three judges on the Fox reality competition series American Idol , where she won praise as a sympathetic and compassionate judge and mentor. She seemed especially kind compared to fellow judge Simon Cowell , who was often blunt in his appraisals of
1751-666: A hit album, and she had success in the UK and Southeast Asia , filling stadiums with her Out of the Blue Tour. By the end of 1988, Out of the Blue had gone triple platinum. The music video compilation Out of the Blue was certified platinum by the RIAA ; the concert tour video was certified double platinum. In October 1988, Gibson sang the national anthem for Game 1 of the Major League Baseball World Series . Electric Youth
1854-403: A long break and had sustained some injuries in the past. Then I returned to television with American Idol and that took up a good decade of my life. Then I went out to do some more television, as well. I always wanted to get back on stage, because I missed it. I wanted to get back in close contact with the people who have supported me all throughout my career and be able to see them again. Plus, I
1957-470: A microphone with frontman Keith Morris . In 1998, she sang the song, "I Do", which is featured on the soundtrack to the film, The Naked Man . The lyrics to the song were composed by the co-writer of the film, Ethan Coen . The soundtrack has never been released. After parting company with EMI, Gibson formed her own record label, Espiritu, to release her original material. Her sixth album, Deborah (1997), marked her full return to pop. Deborah includes
2060-421: A muscle relaxant. According to the article, Abdul said the medications made her "get weird" at times and that she suffered from physical withdrawal symptoms during her recovery. Later that same week, in an interview with Detroit radio station WKQI , Abdul rejected the article's accuracy. She told the radio station she never checked into a rehab clinic and never had a drug abuse problem. In December 2004, Abdul
2163-571: A new version of "Lost in Your Eyes" with Joey McIntyre . Gibson debuted on Broadway in 1992, playing Éponine Thénardier in Les Misérables . She then went to London and starred as Sandy Dombroski in Grease —a role for which 800 other people tried out before producers chose Gibson—in a West End production. The show broke box office sales records. The single version of " You're the One That I Want ",
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#17328524289242266-570: A nude pictorial of Gibson, coinciding with the release of her single, "Naked". She has said that the magazine had asked her five times to pose for them since she turned 18. She agreed to pose to revamp her image, describing how one casting call called her agent, not realizing that Gibson had long since outgrown her teenager image. The single peaked at No. 35 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales chart in March 2005. In 2006, Gibson went on tour with
2369-399: A report at a Hollywood police station stating she had been a victim of battery at a private party at about 1 am on April 2, according to LAPD spokesman Lt. Paul Vernon. "According to Abdul, the man at the party argued with her, grabbed her by the arm and threw her against a wall," Vernon said. "She said she had sustained a concussion and spinal injuries." Substance abuse allegations arose as
2472-435: A second assignment as reporter for Entertainment Tonight . In December 2005, Abdul launched a cheerleading/fitness/dance DVD series called Cardio Cheer, which is marketed to children and teenage girls involved with cheerleading and dance. Abdul also choreographed The King's touchdown celebration, as seen in a string of Burger King television commercials that aired during the 2005–06 NFL season. In 2006, Abdul appeared on
2575-623: A series of challenges with Abdul crowning one the winner. In May 2009, Abdul debuted her latest original song to date, " I'm Just Here for the Music " (originally an unreleased song from Kylie Minogue 's ninth album Body Language ) on the Ryan Seacrest Radio KIIS-FM show and performed the single on the American Idol . "I'm Just Here for the Music" reached number 87 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Abdul's fifteenth song to appear on
2678-494: A set of interviews. Abdul's publicist attributed this to fatigue and technical difficulties during the recording of the interviews. It was revealed on the Bravo show Hey Paula , which had followed Abdul with a video camera prior to the interviews, that Abdul had not been sleeping, perhaps suffering from some mild form of insomnia . In February 2007, Abdul told Us Weekly that she had never been drunk or used illegal drugs, and called
2781-443: A singer, musician, pop songwriter, arranger, and even producer...Gibson's youthful exuberance and energy shine through infectiously...it's some of the best teen pop you're likely to hear." Out of the Blue was included in the 2017 box set We Could Be Together , with six remixes as bonus tracks. A special four-disc digipack edition was released by Cherry Red Records on October 15, 2021. This release includes two remix CDs and
2884-452: A star. So she went into the studio and cut a demo record and she could sing." Abdul's debut studio album, Forever Your Girl (1988), would become the most successful debut album in history at that time, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 chart after 64 weeks (where it would spend 10 weeks at number one), and set a record for the most singles from a debut album to reach number one on
2987-481: A team of producers from both New York and Florida: Fred Zarr , John Morales, Sergio Munzibai and Lewis A. Martineé . Zarr produced " Shake Your Love " and "Fallen Angel" in addition to " Only in My Dreams ," and co-produced " Out of the Blue ," " Staying Together " and "Wake Up to Love" with Gibson, sole producer for " Foolish Beat ." Morales and Munzibai produced "Red Hot" and "Between the Lines." Martineé produced "Play
3090-414: A website that allows aspiring talents to connect with casting directors, producers, and managers. In January 2011, Abdul began appearing on the short-lived CBS reality competition series Live to Dance , where she was also an executive producer. Abdul said that unlike American Idol , Live to Dance is less about "competition" and more about "celebration". After its first season of seven episodes, it
3193-427: Is a graduate of Sanford H. Calhoun High School . In 1983, Gibson submitted a cassette recording of her original composition "I Come From America" to WOR for the station's song contest. After she won a cash prize of US$ 1,000 from the contest, her mother convinced a relative to loan her US$ 10,000 to convert the family garage into a recording studio. After Gibson had written and produced her own material for years,
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3296-426: Is observant in her Jewish faith, and is proud of her heritage. She once stated, "My father is a Syrian Jew whose family immigrated to Brazil. My mother is Canadian with Jewish roots. My dream is to go to Israel for a real holiday." In November 2006, when Israeli Tourism Minister Isaac Herzog invited her to Israel, Abdul responded with a hug, adding, "I will come; you have helped me make a dream come true." In 2013, at
3399-584: The Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, with four: " Straight Up ", " Forever Your Girl ", " Cold Hearted ", and " Opposites Attract ". The album was later certified 7× platinum by the RIAA. A remix album, Shut Up and Dance: Mixes , was also released and reached number seven in the United States, becoming one of the most successful remix albums to date. At the 32nd Grammy Awards , Abdul won her first Grammy for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract". She
3502-605: The Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. The moderate success led to reports of Abdul beginning work on a new album, but this never materialized. Abdul also made a brief guest appearance on an episode of the British television series Hotel Babylon , which aired in the United Kingdom in February 2008. In January 2009, Abdul hosted "RAH!," a cheerleading competition on MTV . "RAH!" featured five collegiate squads competing in
3605-852: The Billboard Hot 100, reaching the top 20. In 1991, Abdul starred in a popular Diet Coke commercial in which she danced with a digital image of her idol, a young Gene Kelly . Abdul was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in December 1991. Abdul promoted Spellbound through the Under My Spell Tour , which was named by an MTV contest for fans. The tour was nearly cancelled due to an accident during rehearsals, but began on schedule in October 1991 and concluded in August 1992. After her initial period of professional success, Abdul's career entered
3708-477: The Billboard Hot 100. " Crazy Cool " and " Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up " served as the album's second and third singles. To date, Head over Heels has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States. In 1995, Abdul released a dance workout video entitled Paula Abdul's Get Up and Dance! (re-released on DVD in 2003), a fast-paced, hip-hop style workout. In 1997, Abdul co-wrote a song called " Spinning Around " with record producer and composer Kara DioGuardi , which
3811-610: The California State University, Northridge . During her freshman year, she was selected from a pool of 700 candidates for the cheerleading squad of the Los Angeles Lakers NBA basketball team—the famed Laker Girls . Within a year, she became head choreographer . She remained with the Laker Girls until 1986. Abdul was discovered by the Jacksons , after a few of the band members had watched her while attending
3914-676: The Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. 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 1990. 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
4017-587: The third series of The X Factor UK as a guest judge during the auditions, sitting alongside judges Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh . A second compilation album, Greatest Hits: Straight Up! , was released in 2007 by the Virgin label, who also made all of Abdul's releases under their label available for digital download on iTunes . That year, Bravo began airing a reality television series centered around Abdul, Hey Paula , which followed her through her day-to-day life. Abdul's behavior as depicted on
4120-588: The 1990s and 2000s. In 2006, she reached number 24 on the U.S. adult contemporary chart with "Say Goodbye", a duet with Jordan Knight , and in 2017 achieved her highest-charting hit in more than 25 years in her duet with Sir Ivan , "I Am Peaceman". Gibson's 2020 single " Girls Night Out " became her first top five and highest-charting hit after 30 years. In addition to music, she has gone on to starring roles on Broadway and touring musicals, including playing Eponine in Les Misérables and Sandy in Grease , as well as television and independent film work. Gibson
4223-722: The 24th, Gibson hosted and performed on Spotlightlive '80s Karaoke Experience in New York singing songs such as "Only in My Dreams", "Out of the Blue", " Love Shack " (an original hit for the B-52's ) and " 9 to 5 ". She performed with Samantha Fox , Tiffany , and Rick Astley at the Colisée Pepsi in Quebec City , Canada , on April 10, 2009. On March 9, 2009, Gibson released a new song called "Already Gone" on her official website and ReverbNation , written by Gibson and produced by Fred Coury . It
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4326-512: The 30th anniversary of her debut studio album Forever Your Girl . The tour began in Tulsa, Oklahoma , on October 18 and concluded in Los Angeles, California , on June 7, 2019, for a total of 25 shows. Abdul performed a medley of her greatest hits at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards , closing out the show. On May 1, 2019, Abdul announced her first Las Vegas residency , Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl . The residency's first leg began on August 13,
4429-629: The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat , where she played the Narrator, and starred as Cinderella in the national tour of Rodgers & Hammerstein 's musical with Eartha Kitt as the Fairy Godmother . In October 2002, she starred as Velma Kelly in the Boston production of Chicago . In 2003, she played Sally Bowles in the Broadway revival of Cabaret . From March to April 2004, she played
4532-539: The Billboard album chart and was certified Double Platinum for shipment of two million copies. In 1995, she signed with EMI 's SBK Records division and recorded her only album for the label, Think with Your Heart . It was an adult contemporary -heavy album consisting of piano and keyboard ballads recorded predominantly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra . The album's producer, Niko Bolas , who
4635-640: The Block billed as the headline performers. The tour grossed $ 53.2 million and sold 662,911 tickets over 55 dates. On June 7, 2019, Gibson released a new pop anthem " Girls Night Out ". The music video for "Girls Night Out" was shot in Las Vegas , Nevada . The song peaked at number four on the Billboard Dance Club chart. On August 20, 2021, Gibson released the album The Body Remembers , her first studio recording of original songs since M.Y.O.B. . It contained
4738-529: The Block announced that Abdul would be touring with them and Boyz II Men on their Total Package Tour in 2017; her first tour in 25 years. The tour began on May 12 in Columbus, Ohio , and concluded on July 16, 2017, in Hollywood, Florida , for a total of 47 shows. In an interview with Elle magazine, Abdul stated there were "many reasons" she decided to return to the stage after over two decades, saying: "I took
4841-408: The Blue ", and the number-one hit " Foolish Beat ", followed by " Staying Together ", which performed more modestly, reaching number 22. "Foolish Beat" set a record, making Gibson at 16 the youngest artist to write, produce, and perform a Billboard number-one single, as cited in the 1988 Guinness Book of World Records . She remains the youngest female artist to have done so. Out of the Blue became
4944-633: The Blue (Debbie Gibson album) Out of the Blue is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Debbie Gibson , released on August 18, 1987, by Atlantic Records . The album received favorable reviews from music critics and sold more than three million copies in the United States (three times platinum by RIAA ) and five million copies worldwide. Gibson (who was then 16 years old) wrote all ten songs on this album, which reveals her very early talent for composing. As executive producer, Douglas Breitbart of Broadbeard Productions, Inc. (whom Gibson's mother had hired as manager five years before), assembled
5047-584: The Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast . She replaced Kerry Butler in September 1997 and was in the show until June 1998, when Kim Huber then succeeded her. She also starred in the critically lauded production of Gypsy (in a production staged at the Paper Mill Playhouse ). Gibson starred as Louise Hovick opposite Broadway legend Betty Buckley . She participated in the national tour of Joseph and
5150-546: The Field". While posing for the album cover, Gibson was told by the photographer that her knee was pulling focus; as she refused to change her pose, a compromise was reached by having the makeup artist draw a face on her knee; consequently, it became a trend among her young female fans. Out of the Blue made No. 7 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart and No. 26 on the UK Albums Chart . The album sold over three million copies in
5253-524: The Hot 100, although " One Step Ahead " scored on the Hot Maxi Singles and Hot Dance charts , peaking at numbers 21 and 18, respectively. During this time, she was part of the supergroup that recorded the charity single " Voices That Care ", which peaked at number 11 on the Hot 100 chart. In 1992, she contributed a version of " Sleigh Ride " to the charity album A Very Special Christmas 2 which hit #7 on
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#17328524289245356-628: The O'Neill Brothers for the Someone You Love Tour in 2006. "Lost in Your Eyes" was revamped with an acoustic sound and a song "Someone You Love" was written and performed by Gibson and the O'Neill Brothers. These two songs also appeared on the O'Neill Brothers album Someone You Love . She had a resurgence of popularity in niche markets. Her single "Your Secret" came back from its dormant state and became popular on some radio stations, including Super 91.7 WMPH in Wilmington, Delaware . "Your Secret"
5459-511: The Stars . In April 2013, Abdul appeared on the Top 5 results show of season 12 of American Idol to compliment contestant Candice Glover on her performance of "Straight Up". On July 9, 2013, Abdul was a guest judge on So You Think You Can Dance ( season ten ). In October 2013, Abdul was named as a judge on the revamped So You Think You Can Dance Australia , which aired on Australia's Network Ten from February 9 through May 1, 2014. Abdul
5562-463: The Top 10 on the Billboard Japan chart. Gibson covered J-pop tunes for the album that were originally sung by Japanese artists such as Chage and Aska (" Say Yes "), Yutaka Ozaki ("I love you"), Miho Nakayama and WANDS ( Sekaijū no Dare Yori Kitto ) among others, plus a Japanese /English version of her number-one hit "Lost in Your Eyes" and a duet with Eric Martin . The first single from
5665-426: The United States, and five million copies worldwide. In their review of the album, Billboard stated that the "sixteen- year-old singer's low profile is not commensurate with her talent or success. "Only In My Dreams" is a top 15 hit; title track should follow up handily. Both - along with rest of the album's material - were written by Gibson, portending much in the way of staying power." Cashbox noted that
5768-650: The World Choreography Award for Outstanding Choreography Digital Format for the video 'Check Yourself'. On November 22, 2015, Abdul and Donnie Wahlberg presented Favorite Female Artist – Pop/Rock at the 43rd American Music Awards ; the award Abdul won at the 1990 AMAs, presented to her by Wahlberg. On August 6, 2016, Abdul performed a full headline set for the first time in 26 years at the Mixtape Festival in Hershey, Pennsylvania . In November 2016, New Kids on
5871-621: The age of 51, Abdul had her bat mitzvah in Safed, Israel, at the International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah , a museum and spiritual retreat for the study of Kabbalah – Jewish mysticism. In 2003, Abdul was reported as a practitioner of Transcendental Meditation . Abdul is a dog lover who raised awareness about National Guide Dog Month in May 2009, and she teamed up with Dick Van Patten to help people with blindness to have more independence through
5974-440: The album was "a fond remembrance of pop idols of times past. This 16-year old Long Island native has leaped into the pop/dance arena with wide eyes and a penchant for writing flowing ballads and sizzling dance grooves." Allmusic concedes that "while Out of the Blue does possess the slick, processed dance-pop production and squeaky-clean innocence of most '80s teen pop, it stands out from the competition due to Gibson's talent as
6077-655: The album were " Electric Youth " (number 11), " No More Rhyme " (number 17), and " We Could Be Together " (number 71). The Electric Youth album was certified double platinum by the RIAA. The successful Electric Youth Tour and Live Around the World VHS (double platinum) followed. Gibson recorded two more albums for Atlantic Records: Anything Is Possible (1990) and Body, Mind, Soul (1993). The former's title song , co-written with Motown mainstay Lamont Dozier , peaked at number 26 on Billboard' s Hot 100 in 1991. Subsequent singles from Anything Is Possible failed to chart on
6180-590: The album, "I Love You", hit No. 1 on the international cable radio chart on November 3, 2010. In January 2011, Gibson wrote, performed, and produced the song "Snake Charmer" for the film Mega Python vs. Gatoroid . During the summer of 2011, Gibson toured with fellow 1980s pop princess Tiffany. In June 2011, Gibson appeared in Katy Perry 's music video " Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.) " alongside several other guest stars. On August 27, 2016, Gibson starred in an original Hallmark Channel film, Summer of Dreams , about
6283-525: The allegations "lies". In May 2009, Ladies' Home Journal posted an article on its website that said that Abdul told them she stayed at the La Costa Resort and Spa in Carlsbad, California , for three days the previous year to recover from physical dependence on prescription pain medications. The medications, prescribed due to injuries and her RSD diagnosis, included a pain patch, nerve medication, and
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#17328524289246386-598: The bass-heavy "M.Y.O.B." Highlights from the album include the sultry Latin -flavored smooth jazz song "In Blue", a vintage-style ballad "Wishing You Were Here", "Jaded", and a remix of "M.Y.O.B." with the background vocals of her two nieces. In 2005, Gibson co-wrote and recorded a song titled "Someone You Love" with The O'Neill Brothers . With the brothers, she released an updated, acoustic version of her number-one hit "Lost in Your Eyes". An Emmy -nominated PBS special The O'Neill Brothers: Piano for Someone You Love" aired in 2005. The March 2005 issue of Playboy featured
6489-615: The chart. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times in July 2009, Abdul's manager David Sonenberg told the newspaper that, "Very sadly, it does not appear that she's going to be back on Idol ." This came about as a result of stalled negotiations between Abdul and the series. In August, after numerous contract negotiations, Abdul confirmed that she would not return to Idol for its ninth season. The Times cited reports Abdul had been earning as much as $ 5 million per season and that she
6592-465: The choreographer for several film and theater productions, including the 1998 musical Reefer Madness and the cheerleading scenes in American Beauty (1999). In 2000, Virgin Records, with whom Abdul was already no longer affiliated, released the first of two compilation albums by Abdul, Paula Abdul: Greatest Hits . Abdul co-produced the 2001 pilot for Skirts , an MTV television series about
6695-424: The contestants' performances. When she realized that Cowell's over-the-top judging style was heartbreaking for many young contestants, Abdul was horrified and she considered leaving the series. Although their differences often resulted in heated on-air exchanges and confrontations, Cowell says he played a major role in convincing Abdul not to leave the series. While serving as a judge on American Idol , Abdul accepted
6798-514: The documentary 3 Billion and Counting , was included on the shortlist for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2010. In the summer of 2011, she released Rise on iTunes , and also performed it on Good Morning America in New York. Gibson performed as Mother Nature in Cirque Dreams ' Jungle Fantasy at Foxwoods Resort Casino from July 27 to September 1, 2010. In 2010, the album Ms. Vocalist , released via Sony Japan , reached
6901-447: The film Singin' in the Rain . Abdul began taking dance lessons at an early age in ballet , jazz , and tap . She attended Van Nuys High School , where she was a cheerleader and an honor student. At 15, she received a scholarship to a dance camp near Palm Springs , and in 1978, appeared in a low-budget independent musical film, Junior High School . In 1980, she graduated from Van Nuys High School. Abdul studied broadcasting at
7004-468: The first of 20 dates, ending in January 2020. On June 7, 2019, Abdul opened LA Pride . Abdul also performed at the fourteenth series finale of America's Got Talent with Light Balance Kids, Brian King Joseph, and Tyler Butler-Figueroa to surprise Cowell. In October 2020, it was announced that Abdul would serve as a panelist for Fox's reality competition, The Masked Dancer . In April 2021, ABC announced that Abdul would return to American Idol as
7107-420: The first time in nearly thirteen years with the single " Dance Like There's No Tomorrow ", the first track on the album Randy Jackson 's Music Club Vol. 1 . The song debuted on On Air with Ryan Seacrest , and Abdul performed it during the pre-game show for Super Bowl XLII . "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" was a modest comeback hit for Abdul, peaking at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on
7210-427: The help of guide dogs. She does not wear real fur. Abdul has said that she was injured in a plane crash in 1992 during her Under My Spell Tour , necessitating 15 cervical spinal surgeries. When, in 2020, some gossip sites, including Jezebel , questioned the veracity of this, Abdul responded during an interview with Yahoo Entertainment , stating "You know what? It's like, there are seven other people that were on
7313-407: The lead single "Only Words". "Only Words" (Dance Edit) became a Top-40 Hot Dance Music/Club Play hit. The album's other single was the ballad "Naturally". It only sold 20,000 in the US. In 2001, she released her seventh album on her new record label, Golden Egg, titled M.Y.O.B. It featured three singles: the sensual pop song "What You Want", the Latin-infused dance-pop song "Your Secret", and
7416-399: The most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: " Straight Up ", " Forever Your Girl ", " Cold Hearted ", and " Opposites Attract ". Her second album Spellbound (1991) scored her two more chart-toppers – " Rush Rush " and " The Promise of
7519-651: The music video of American heavy-metal band Voices of Extreme's cover version of "Foolish Beat". In March 2019, Gibson hosted a special program on SiriusXM Radio's '80s on 8 channel to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her Electric Youth album, during which she played each song from the album in sequence, accompanied by personal stories surrounding each song. On May 2, the Mixtape Tour commenced in Cincinnati , Ohio . Performers on this tour included Gibson, Tiffany, Salt-N-Pepa , and Naughty by Nature , with New Kids on
7622-514: The other dancers?' I felt nervous and out of control, and all I could think about was food. Food numbed the fear and anxiety. I'd eat and then run to the bathroom." In 2005, Abdul said she had been diagnosed in November 2004 with a neurological disorder causing chronic pain, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD), following a "cheerleading accident" at age 17. She discussed the diagnosis in response to allegations of drug use. In April 2006, Abdul filed
7725-467: The plane, who were in that plane accident with me. So, I really don't care what people have to say. I don't." In 1994, Abdul sought treatment for bulimia nervosa , which she revealed years later had first developed during her teens and only intensified after she became a pop star. She said: "I learned at a very early age I didn't fit in physically. I learned through years of rejections from auditions. I would ask myself, 'Why can't I be tall and skinny like
7828-599: The result of what some described as "erratic behavior" by Abdul during episodes of American Idol . After reading these allegations on message boards, Abdul told People in April 2005 about her RSD diagnosis; she added that she was pain-free following treatment with anti-inflammatory medication. Allegations arose again in January 2007 when videos circulated on the Internet of Abdul appearing to sway in her chair and slur her speech during
7931-843: The role of Marta in the UCLA Reprise! production of Company . Gibson starred as Anna Leonowens in Cabrillo Music Theatre's production of the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I , which began October 17, 2008, in the Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza and ran through October 26. Gibson co-hosted Nickelodeon 's first Kids' Choice Awards in 1988 , alongside Tony Danza , Brian Robbins , and Dan Schneider . Out of
8034-477: The series was described as "erratic" by comedian Rosie O'Donnell and was criticized by audiences and critics, and Hey Paula was cancelled after a single season. In 2007, Paula Abdul Jewelry launched its nationwide consumer debut on QVC , with the tagline "fashion jewelry designed with heart and soul." Abdul's first QVC appearance resulted in 15 sellouts of her first jewelry collection involving more than 34,000 pieces. In 2008, Abdul returned to music charts for
8137-518: The situation. In August 2005, the Fox network confirmed that Abdul would be returning to the show, as the investigation had found "insufficient evidence that the communications between Mr. Clark and Ms. Abdul in any way aided his performance". On November 11, 2008, a 30-year-old woman named Paula Goodspeed was found dead in her car outside of Abdul's Los Angeles home in Sherman Oaks, California . The death
8240-474: The third-most added single during the summer of 2006. It debuted at number 35 on the Hot Contemporary chart, peaking at number 24 in early September. The same year, Gibson appeared in the independent film Coffee Date with Wilson Cruz and Jonathan Silverman and provided a soundtrack song called "Sounds Like Love". On November 14, 2006, Gibson released the song "Famous" on her official website. The song
8343-467: Was a skilled dancer and choreographer, Abdul was a relatively untrained singer, and worked with various coaches and record producers to develop her vocal ability. She has a mezzo-soprano vocal range. Ayeroff recalled signing Abdul to a recording contract years later, stating: "She said, 'I can sing, you know. I want to do an album.' Paula's in our industry. Here's someone with a personality and she's gorgeous, and she can dance. If she can sing, she could be
8446-459: Was accompanied by a music video, released on March 13, 2009, produced by Guy Birtwhistle and directed by John Knowles, which starred Birtwhistle, Gibson, and Steve Valentine . In January 2010, an unofficial clip named "Cougar" was uploaded on YouTube . She also became a spokesperson for Murad's Resurgence Skin Care and plays piano and sings a line of the song called "Cougar". Gibson's song "Rise", from
8549-580: Was also due to the success of the video that Abdul was chosen to be the choreographer for the Jacksons' Victory tour. Abdul also choreographed sequences for the giant keyboard scene involving Tom Hanks 's character in Big (1988). In 1987, Abdul used her savings to make a singing demo. Soon thereafter, she was signed to the newly formed Virgin Records America by Jeff Ayeroff , who had worked in marketing at A&M Records with Janet Jackson. Although she
8652-625: Was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance for "Straight Up", but lost to Bonnie Raitt 's " Nick of Time ". In 1991, singer Yvette Marine filed a lawsuit against Abdul and the Virgin label, alleging that it was her vocals that were used on several tracks from Forever Your Girl , most notably "Opposites Attract". A jury sided with Abdul and the label two years later in 1993, rejecting Marine's claim to credit and copyright compensation. Abdul saw continued success with her second studio album Spellbound (1991), which saw two additional number-one singles: " Rush Rush " and " The Promise of
8755-416: Was being prejudiced because of his relationship with Abdul, and that is why he came forward with the information to clear his name. For the most part, Abdul refused to comment on Clark's allegations. Simon Cowell came to Abdul's defense, stating, "It was just somebody using her to get a lot of publicity for an appalling record, full stop." Abdul appeared in a Saturday Night Live skit, making light of
8858-632: Was born in Brooklyn , New York , on August 31, 1970, the third of Diane (née Pustizzi) and Joseph Gibson's four daughters. Her father, who enjoyed singing, was originally named Joseph Schultz and was abandoned by his mother as a boy; his biological mother married a man with the surname Gibson before putting Joseph into an orphanage . Gibson grew up in suburban Merrick, New York , on Long Island . She describes herself as of " Italian / Sicilian and part German and possibly some Russian " descent. She studied piano under American pianist Morton Estrin . Gibson
8961-583: Was born in San Fernando, California . She is Jewish: her father, Harry Abdul, is of Syrian Jewish heritage and was born in Aleppo , Syria , raised in Brazil and emigrated to the United States. Her mother, Lorraine (Rykiss), was a concert pianist of Jewish heritage, from Minnedosa, Manitoba . Abdul has an older sister named Wendy. As an avid dancer, Abdul was inspired towards a show business career by Gene Kelly in
9064-555: Was cancelled by CBS. In May 2011, it was announced that Abdul would rejoin Cowell on the first season of the American edition of The X Factor . In January 2012, Abdul announced that she would not return as a judge for the series' second season . Abdul was replaced by Britney Spears . In October 2012, Abdul served as a guest judge during week four of the All-Stars version of Dancing with
9167-434: Was choreographed by Paula Abdul and was the first time MTV had visited Gibson on a video shoot. In 1987, while performing at nightclubs throughout the United States, Gibson recorded her debut album, Out of the Blue . Along with producer Fred Zarr , Gibson wrote, recorded, and produced it in four weeks. Four singles from the album reached the top five of the Hot 100 chart: "Only in My Dreams", "Shake Your Love", " Out of
9270-470: Was driving her Mercedes-Benz on a Los Angeles-area freeway when she changed lanes and hit another vehicle, but did not stop or render assistance. The driver and passenger took a photograph with a cell phone camera and wrote down the license plate number of the car, which was traced to Abdul. In March 2005, Abdul was fined US$ 900 and given 24 months of informal probation after pleading nolo contendere (no contest) to misdemeanor hit-and-run driving. She
9373-412: Was getting asked all the time if I would ever do it again! I finally said, You know what, I want to and I'm going to make it a priority. I'm really passionate about it and it's fun, and I want to connect with my fans around the country." In July 2018, Abdul announced that she would embark on a solo headlining tour across North America that fall, entitled Straight Up Paula! , as part of the celebration of
9476-465: Was intended to be her comeback single from a new album, but the plan never materialized and the song was later given to Kylie Minogue . That year, Abdul appeared in the ABC television film Touched By Evil , playing a businesswoman who discovers that her boyfriend is a serial rapist. In 1998, she released a second workout video called Cardio Dance (re-released on DVD in 2000). Thereafter, Abdul served as
9579-511: Was later extended to June. The show ended abruptly during its second season. In May 2008, Gibson performed her 1980s hits, along with her Broadway role songs, during a three-run week at Harrah's in Atlantic City, New Jersey . She later appeared on the April 2008 cover of Lavender Magazine (an LGBT magazine in Minnesota ) and was interviewed about her career and upcoming projects. Then on
9682-545: Was on their request show, Total Control Radio , for 12 months; it reached No. 1 on its third week on that station's chart in May 2006. It charted along with a few of her other singles, "M.Y.O.B." and "Only Words" (Dance Edit), the Eurodance mix. They all have become recurrent hits on WMPH. The 2006 single, "Say Goodbye", featuring dance-pop artist Jordan Knight , made an impression in the Soft AC and Hot AC radio formats, becoming
9785-417: Was ordered to pay US$ 775 for damage to the other car. In May 2005, ABC's Primetime Live reported claims by season 2 American Idol contestant Corey Clark that he and Abdul had had an affair during that season, and that she had coached him on how to succeed in the competition. Some considered Clark's timing suspicious as he was marketing a CD and trying to get a book deal, but Clark said that his career
9888-503: Was present as a permanent member of the judge's panel for all episodes of this season. She later became a permanent judge of the American version starting with its twelfth season. In January 2017, Abdul announced that she would not be returning as a judge for its fourteenth season because of her tour schedule. In April 2014, Abdul was a guest judge on RuPaul's Drag Race (episode " Queens of Talk "), which reunited her with previous Idol contestant Adore Delano . In June 2014, Abdul made
9991-471: Was released in December 1986 and landed in the Billboard Hot 100 chart beginning in May 1987, peaking at number four that September. Atlantic Records and Gibson worked to complete her first album as a result of the good showing by the single. Following the success of "Only in My Dreams", " Shake Your Love " was released as the follow-up single and reached the Billboard top five. The "Shake Your Love" video
10094-462: Was released in early 1989 and spent five weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 . The first single released, " Lost in Your Eyes ", was number one on the Hot 100 for three weeks, garnering her another achievement as the youngest female to have both an album and single simultaneously at number one. She shared the 1989 ASCAP Songwriter of the Year Award with Bruce Springsteen . Subsequent singles from
10197-433: Was reportedly seeking as much as $ 20 million to return. Abdul was replaced by Ellen DeGeneres . Abdul claimed her departure from Idol was not about money, but that she had to stand on principle. In January 2010, Abdul presented a Lifetime Achievement Award to choreographer Julie McDonald at the 11th Anniversary show of The Carnival: Choreographer's Ball . In November, Abdul launched and co-founded AuditionBooth.com,
10300-466: Was ruled a suicide by drug overdose, and she was found surrounded by prescription pills, along with photos and CDs of Abdul. Goodspeed was an obsessive fan of Abdul, having legally changed her name to Paula, drawn many pictures of her, sent her flowers and auditioned for Abdul on season 5 of American Idol in 2005 at a stop in Austin, Texas , before being dismissed from the show. Goodspeed had been accused in
10403-652: Was scheduled to commence in September 2024 has since been cancelled. Abdul married actor Emilio Estevez in 1992, and filed for divorce in 1994. In 1995, Abdul stated that the reason for their divorce was that she wanted children and Estevez, who had two children from a previous relationship, did not. Abdul married clothing designer Brad Beckerman in 1996, at the New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, Connecticut . They filed for divorce in 1998, after 17 months of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Abdul
10506-481: Was usually Neil Young 's co-producer, was producing the reunion album for veteran punk band Circle Jerks and invited Gibson to a recording session for that band's album Oddities, Abnormalities and Curiosities . She sang background vocals on the song "I Wanna Destroy You", as well as appearing at and participating in the Circle Jerks' performance at the punk venue CBGB wearing one of the band's T-shirts and sharing
10609-569: Was written by Gibson and Tiziano Lugli and was produced by Lugli. In May 2007, the world premiere of Electric Youth: The Musical was unveiled at the Starlight Theatre in Orlando, Florida . The musical featured 14 of Gibson's songs and was directed by Dean Parker. On August 24, 2007, Gibson and Frankie Avalon hosted Time Life Presents Dick Clark 's American Bandstand 50th Anniversary Collection . In September 2007, Gibson considered creating
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