Paula Abdul, born Paula Julie Abdul on June 19, 1962, in San Fernando, California, is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as 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.

Her talent for choreography led her to work on music videos for Janet Jackson and other artists, eventually catching the attention of Virgin Records. Her debut studio album, "Forever Your Girl" (1988), became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, featuring hit singles like "Straight Up," "Forever Your Girl," "Cold Hearted," and "Opposites Attract."

Her second album, "Spellbound" (1991), also produced chart-toppers such as "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day." With six number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100, she tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time.

Her career expanded beyond music as she became one of the original judges on the television series "American Idol" from 2002 to 2009. She has also appeared as a judge on "The X Factor," "Live to Dance," "So You Think You Can Dance," and "The Masked Dancer."

Her contributions to choreography have been recognized with numerous awards, including five MTV Video Music Awards and a Grammy Award for Best Music Video for "Opposites Attract" in 1991. She has also received two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography for her work on "The Tracey Ullman Show" and her own performance at the American Music Awards in 1990.

Her personal life includes marriages to actor Emilio Estevez from 1992 to 1994 and to Brad Beckerman from 1996 to 1998. She is Jewish, with her father, Harry Abdul, being of Syrian Jewish heritage and her mother, Lorraine Rykiss, being a concert pianist of Jewish heritage from Canada.

She has an older sister named Wendy. Throughout her career, she has been honored with her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards Hall of Fame Award.