Paula Julie Abdul 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. 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 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 Billboard Hot 100 chart toppers: "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". Her six number one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 tie her with Ariana Grande and Diana Ross for seventh among the female solo performers who have topped the chart.
"Control" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her third studio album of the same name (1986). It was written by Jackson, James Harris III, and Terry Lewis and produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. The song was released on October 17, 1986, by A&M Records as the album's fourth single. Its arrangement, built upon complex rhythmic tracks, showcased state-of-the-art production. The song is about Jackson wanting to finally take control of her life.
New jack swing, new jack, or swingbeat is a fusion genre of the rhythms and production techniques of hip hop and dance-pop, and the urban contemporary sound of R&B. Spearheaded by producers Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle, new jack swing was most popular from the mid-1980s to mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip hop, seeped into pop culture.
Forever Your Girl is the debut studio album by American singer Paula Abdul. It was released on June 21, 1988, through Virgin Records. The album was Abdul's breakthrough into the music industry after being a choreographer for high-profile artists including George Michael, ZZ Top, Duran Duran and most notably Janet Jackson. At the time of the album's release it was the most successful debut album of all time and was the first time an artist scored four US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles from a debut album. It is currently certified 7× platinum by the RIAA.
"What Have You Done for Me Lately" is a song by American singer Janet Jackson from her third studio album, Control (1986). Jackson co-wrote the song with its producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. It was released on January 13, 1986, by A&M Records as the album's lead single. After two unsuccessful albums and a management change, the singer began developing a new album. "What Have You Done for Me Lately" was originally penned for one of Jam and Lewis's own records, but the lyrics were rewritten to convey Jackson's feelings about her recent divorce from James DeBarge in January 1985. It revolves around a woman's frustration with her partner in a relationship.
Evelyn "Champagne" King is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. She is best known for her hit disco single "Shame", which was released in 1977 during the height of disco's popularity. King had other hits from the early through the mid–1980s including; "I'm in Love" (1981), "Love Come Down" (1982) and "Your Personal Touch" (1985).
Virenia "Nia" Peeples is an American R&B and dance music singer and actress. Peeples is known for playing Nicole Chapman on the hit TV series Fame; Pam Fields on the drama Pretty Little Liars; Karen Taylor Winters on The Young and the Restless and Sydney Cooke on Walker, Texas Ranger. Her most recent television role was Grace's mom, Susan, on The Fosters.
Joyce Melissa Morgan is an American R&B/Soul singer–songwriter. Morgan had a string of urban contemporary hits starting the mid–1980s through the mid–1990s. Morgan most notable songs includes her cover version of Prince's "Do Me, Baby" (1985), "Do You Still Love Me" (1986) and "Still in Love With You" (1992). Born in Queens, New York, Morgan got her start in the music industry while singing with a church gospel choir called the Starlets of Corona. Morgan cites Chaka Khan as a major influence.
Jeanie Tracy is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and record producer. She rose to fame in the late 1970s as a background singer of Sylvester, an American disco singer. Her first album, Me and You (1982), featured post-disco hits "I'm Your Jeanie","Sing Your Own Song" and the overlooked 1983 smash R&B and Funk hit,"Can I Come Over And Play With You Tonight". From late 1984 to early 1985, she performed on television Show Star Search where she was the winner in the Female Vocalist category for six weeks. In 1995, Tracy released her second album It's My Time.
"Straight Up" is the breakthrough song for American recording artist Paula Abdul from her debut studio album Forever Your Girl (1988). The song is a mid-tempo dance-pop song with influence from the pop rock and new jack swing genres. Written and produced entirely by Elliot Wolff, the song was released as the album's third single on November 22, 1988, by Virgin Records.
Chantay Savage is an American R&B/dance singer. She experienced some success in the 1990s on various Billboard singles charts, one of which was "I Will Survive", a reworking of the Gloria Gaynor hit song.
Head Over Heels is the third studio album released by American singer Paula Abdul on June 13, 1995 under Virgin Records. The album features three singles "My Love Is for Real", "Crazy Cool" and "Ain't Never Gonna Give You Up".
"(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me" is a song recorded by American singer Paula Abdul for her debut album Forever Your Girl (1988). Written and produced solely by producer Oliver Leiber, the song was originally released in its remix form as the second single from the album on August 2, 1988, by Virgin to minor success in the States. Following the breakthrough success of her next three singles, the song was re-released on September 15, 1989, under its original version to commercial success, becoming Abdul's fourth consecutive top three entry on the Billboard Hot 100 and to date, tying with "Straight Up" as her longest charting performance on the chart. The song, however, did not replicate the same success in the UK where it managed to peak at number seventy-four on the UK Singles Chart, thus becoming her lowest charting single in the region to date.
Wilma Cosmé, better known by her stage name Safire, is a Puerto Rican singer. Safire is one of the few freestyle singers to cross over into the pop world. Safire has been featured in various magazines, such as Us Magazine, Billboard, Vogue, Elle, and most recently in the December 2011 issue of Signature Hits Magazine. She was the first Latina to grace the cover of Spin Magazine. Sa-Fire has also appeared on television programs such as American Bandstand, Pat Sajak Show, Joan Rivers Show, Latin Connection, MTV International, Party Machine, PM Magazine, Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, TMZ, The View, MTV, and Telemundo. SaFire has performed throughout the United States, Japan, Europe, the Caribbean, and South America. She has won numerous awards for her work, including six New York Music Awards, three Desi Awards, ASCAP award for writing "Thinking of You." the LGBT lifetime achievement Award. Sold over 1.9 million records.
"My Love Is for Real" is a song by American singer Paula Abdul with backing vocals from Israeli singer Ofra Haza. It was released as the first single from Abdul's third studio album, Head over Heels, on May 30, 1995. Intended as Abdul's comeback single, "My Love Is for Real" reached number one in Hungary and the top 20 in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, but it stalled outside the top 20 in the United States, peaking at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and failed to make a major impact in Europe.
Vanessa Williams is an American actress and singer. In 1988, Williams released her debut album, The Right Stuff. The first single, "The Right Stuff", found success on the R&B chart, while the second single, "He's Got the Look", found similar success on the same chart. The third single, "Dreamin'", was a pop hit, becoming Williams's first top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 8, and her first number one single on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album reached gold status in the US and earned her an NAACP Image Award and three Grammy Award nominations, including one for Best New Artist.
"Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" is a dance-pop song by American singer Paula Abdul and American musician Randy Jackson. It was Abdul's first single release in nearly twelve years. The song was produced by DEEKAY and Randy Jackson and appears on Jackson's album Randy Jackson's Music Club, Vol. 1. It was sent to radio stations in the United States on January 18, 2008 and was released on iTunes four days later. Abdul performed the song live during the Super Bowl XLII pre-show and featured clips from her music video. The video, co-directed with Scott Speer, features Abdul performing with a band and routines with her dancers. "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" reached number two on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and peaked at number 62 on the Hot 100 chart. It also charted in Canada and Romania at number 68 and 87 respectively.
"Torture" is the second single released off the album Victory by the band The Jacksons. Written by Jackie Jackson and fellow Motown veteran Kathy Wakefield, the song is about someone ending a relationship and the torture that the member of the relationship, who is still in love with the other person, can feel. Jackie was originally going to sing the song with his brother, Michael, but Jackie's role instead went to Jermaine Jackson, whose availability for the album was in question until the last minute. The rest of the Jacksons sang the chorus along with Michael, Jermaine and Jackie.
Trouble is a 1988 single by singer/actress Nia Peeples, taken from the album Nothin' But Trouble. The single reached #71 on the Hot Black singles chart and #35 on the Hot 100 singles chart. The song was most successful on the dance chart reaching #1 for one week in early summer 1988.
James Nelson Williams, known by the stage name D Train, is an American singer, songwriter, instrumentalist, producer and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1980s with the release of his first album “You're the One for Me”, which spawned his first US Billboard Dance chart number-one hit, "You're the One for Me". His debut album would also chart with the hits "Keep On" and the much covered Burt Bacharach hit "Walk on By". He would go on to work with Eaves producing hits on the follow-up albums Music and Something's on Your Mind before being signed to Columbia Records, producing the albums Miracles of the Heart and In Your Eyes. The two parted ways in 1988 and D Train went on to perform on his own label, releasing the album 701 Franklin Ave..
