Paula Abdul paved the way for today's popstars W/ Receipts!
Before popping pills and the loopy behavior, Paula Abdul was a Pop Icon up there with Madonna and Janet. Some refer to three of the current pop stars as the trinity, well in the early 90's the trinity of pop performers was Madonna, Janet and Paula.
She was never known for her voice, but rather for her performing abilities. Paula used to impress with flawless performances, where she always delivered, and never missed a mark.
Paula was titled as the Princess of Pop, and she was selling more than Janet and even Madonna.
Quote:
Forever Your Girl
Released: June 15, 1988
Label: Virgin
Format: CD
1 1 1 94 19 17 19 6 3 Worldwide: 12,000,000[13] US: 7× Platinum[14]
CAN: 7× Platinum[15]
UK: Platinum[16]
Spellbound
Released: May 14, 1991
Label: Virgin
Format: CD
1 3 6 12 45 — 14 6 4 Worldwide: 13,000,000[1] US: 3× Platinum[14]
CAN: 2× Platinum[15]
UK: Gold[16]
Head over Heels
Released: June 13, 1995
Label: Virgin
Format: CD
18 27 21 32 74 — — — 61 Worldwide: 3,000,000[1] US: Gold[14]
If you wanna see perfection in every move, this performance is for you:
This performance of "My love is For Real" in 1995, is proof of this, and shows how Paula was way ahead of her time. The way she addresses the camera with her eyes and face, and her effortless delivery will always remain in the heart of the those of us who experienced her short but brilliant career.
This performance of "The way that you love me" is just flawless from start to end. I remember by this time Meryl Streep was going to do "Evita" and she had contacted Paula to help her dance Tango, even though Paula is not argentinian, that was the kind of power her performances portrayed to Hollywood.
Before becoming a pop superstar, Paula helped Janet Jackson develop a personal style and shape her dance technique to launch her own career as a Pop Icon.
Rare rehearsal footage of Paula teaching Janet:
Paula also paved the way for performers and entertainers of today, as Britney and Christina Aguilera, who have both recognized her influence in interviews and have borrowed elements of Paula's career and/or payed hommage to her body of work, in their own.
Britney and Christina have recognized her influence publicly, but even those who havent it could be argued that they were shaped and influenced by her choreographies and stage persona indirectly by the likes of today's influential choreographers who were heavily influenced and inspired by Paula's work. Britney's "orgy scene" from her video "Slave for you" was directly borrowed from Paula's own orgy scene in Coldhearted, and Christina payed hommage to Paula in her video "What a Girl Wants" by filming it in the same room as Paula filmed her "Coldhearted" masterpiece.
One of them is Brian Friedman, who has recognized her as one of his inspirations of why he became a choreographer, shaping the techniques of the likes of Beyonce, Janet and Britney, to just name a few.
After helping Janet develop a style, she decided she needed to be herself on stage as a lead. This is her legendary MTV VMAS performance, where she proved to the music industry that there was the new bitch in town and that she was a force to be reckoned with. This is a medley of 3 of her #1 Billboard hits:
Abdul did not only innovate choreographically, but also visually, becoming one of the game changers with creative and innovative videos. Paula soon became a household name for MTV, much so that you could think of one without immediately thinking about the other. Her choreography and her visuals undermined her vocal weaknesses making her a strong force in Pop music. Her career, even if short lived, delivered videos ahead of her time, in which each time she showed a different "persona" and made others step up their game videowise. She did not do it solely, of course Michael Jackson and Madonna did that, even more so, but she did live up to her part, becoming a serious competition.
Paula on her work:
Quote:
" My videos stand the test of time. They are like the almanac for every performer. Even Rihanna has come up to me and said 'I hope you don't mind.' And Beyonce. You can see the influence of what I've done. It's really fun to see that I've left a mark."
Straight Up had gone top 10 Billboard, and Paula did even have a video for it yet, the public was anxious to put a face to the song, so she had to film it quickly, and although simple, it conveyed her dancing skills, which was one of her biggest strengths:
With the video the song rapidly shot to #1, and thus her short reign began.
For Coldhearted Paula wanted to show an edgier and sexier side to her, this work in itself was a major influence in most of today's dancers and choreographers. Both Britney and Christina have referenced this video in their work. This is why:
With her next video, Paula assured to the world that she would be Forever their Girl, this was also one of Elijah Wood's first jobs:
Inspired by dance legends as Gene Kelly and Bob Fosse, Paula wanted to show her classic tap techniques with a modern twist. This is how Opposites Attract was developed. This video was the first ever to include a live animation character, with which Paula partnered, and flawlessly followed in some amazing dance routines:
For her second album, Paula decided to do something very different. Instead of starting with a pop song, she would start with a ballad, a bold move for a singer that was hardly criticized for her singing abilities. The risky move payed off and critics backed down a bit while the song shot to #1 on Billboard. Inspired by James Dean's Rebel without a Cause, this was also the beginning of Keanu Reeve's career:
While the front covers of magazines announced her engagement to actor Emilio Estevez (Charlie Sheen's brother), Paula released a simple but as always creative video:
This is one of Paula's more expensive videos, and most amazing, if not the best. Shot in Morocco, with My Love is For Real, Paula was ahead of her time, mixing pop music with arabic styles. She also delivered one of her most sensual choregraphies ever:
Ever chamaleonic, Paula changed her look again for the next video with a much edgier image. The sexual charge continued through Crazy Cool:
The last video where she proved her dancing abilities was Aint Never Gonna Give You Up, this time using the image of a Latino "Chola":
well in the early 90's the trinity was Madonna, Janet and Paula.
Bitch please, Whitney Houston dominated the 90's, and so did Toni Braxton for that matter. Paula was a non mother****ing factor by the time all of them were done.
Bitch please, Whitney Houston dominated the 90's, and so did Toni Braxton for that matter. Paula was a non mother****ing factor by the time all of them were done.
Mariah as well, but he's probably talking about "entertainers." But Paula was the lesser of that group.
Bitch please, Whitney Houston dominated the 90's, and so did Toni Braxton for that matter. Paula was a non mother****ing factor by the time all of them were done.
Wow, Pretty agressive. I am speaking in terms of mainstream pop music, and more specifically about pop performers (as in dancing). Whitney and Toni where seen by mostly as r&b singers, and to be honest Toni had two relevant hits at most in her whole career, but that is off-topic. This is a homage thread to the brilliance of Paula.
Wow, Pretty agressive. I am speaking in terms of mainstream pop music, and more specifically about pop performers (as in dancing). Whitney and Toni where seen by mostly as r&b singers, and to be honest Toni had two relevant hits at most in her whole career, but that is off-topic. This is a homage thread to the brilliance of Paula.
Whitney was seen as a R&B singer She was slightly controversial and criticized at the time by some black folks because her music was so pop.
Whitney singing R&B She used to be criticized by some black folks because her music was so pop.
Mainly because she took the "soul" out of some of her R&B songs. Mariah, Whitney and Janet were all pop artists doing R&B early in their careers but dug deeper in the late '90s.
Bitch please, Whitney Houston dominated the 90's, and so did Toni Braxton for that matter. Paula was a non mother****ing factor by the time all of them were done.
You're always so bitchy, typical. I agree with your post but there was no need to spazz like that, you're acting as though the OP took your reserved parking space. Calm the **** down.
Whitney singing R&B She used to be criticized by some black folks because her music was so pop.
Right. Nippy was straight up pop/ MOR adult contemporary in the 80's and early 90's. She even got her ass booed at the Soul Train Awards I think because people thought she was a sell-out.
Before popping pills and the loopy behavior, Paula Abdul was a Pop Icon up there with Madonna and Janet. Some refer to three of the current pop stars as the trinity, well in the early 90's the trinity was Madonna, Janet and Paula.
That said...
Dance Like There's No Tomorrow is my sawng!
Right. Nippy was straight up pop/ MOR adult contemporary in the 80's and early 90's. She even got her ass booed at the Soul Train Awards I think because people thought she was a sell-out.
lol this is true. A lot of black folks didn't use her during that time period.