'Dance Queen,' With Six No. 1 Hits, Turns 64
Today, in 1962, Paula Abdul was born in San Fernando, Calif., and the multi-hyphenate personality's vibrant dance moves continue to prove that age is nothing but a number. Currently, she may be instantly recognizable from her American Idol days, but her career spans several decades.
Celebrating her 64th birthday this year on June 19, Abdul fell in love with dance at a young age after being inspired by the classic musical, Singin' in the Rain (1952), according to Britannica. A dedicated jazz and tap dance student for many years, she later became a cheerleader in high school, and in college, earned a spot with the Los Angeles Lakers' cheer squad, the Lakers Girls, where she stood out among her peers and became head cheerleader and choreographer within just a few months.
Abdul was first discovered by Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5, and was tapped to choreograph their "Torture" music video in 1984.
Gaining fame as a music artist in the late 1980s, she became known for dance-pop hits like "Forever Your Girl" and "Opposites Attract." Her debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988), was a major success, producing four No. 1 singles, including "Straight Up," "Forever Your Girl," and "Cold Hearted."
In 1990, Abdul won a Grammy Award for her "Opposites Attract" music video, and in total, she has notched six No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Over the years, she has appeared on reality competition shows like Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and The Masked Dancer. In addition, Abdul embarked on her first tour in 25 years in 2016, as a supporting act for headliner New Kids on the Block. Two years later, she launched a solo tour, and from 2019 to 2020, Abdul had her own Las Vegas residency.
The dancer-singer-TV personality earned the nickname "Dancing Queen" because of her pioneering choreography in pop music and impact on pop culture's dance/music scene in the '80s and '90s. Her ability to seamlessly add vocals to athletic, dynamic dancing made her one of the defining entertainers of the era.
A 1990 AMAs performance withJanet Jackson is particularly memorable for longtime fans.
"Today, whether alive or deceased, thanks to their popularity and ability to move the masses, sell out millions of records, concert tickets, and merchandise, singers have secured their honorific nicknames through their positive impact on music," Hola! reported, naming Abdul the Dance/Dancing Queen.
As an original judge on American Idol, she joined Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson in being the faces of what became a cultural phenomenon. Honoring her time on the show, she shared an Instagram post last week on its anniversary: "@americanidol premiered 24 years ago today! 💫 Being part of this show from the very beginning has been one of the greatest experiences of my life."
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This story was originally published June 19, 2026 at 2:02 AM.