Billboard Music Awards

Overview

Paula Abdul in BBMA rehearsals

In early April 2019 Insiders began reporting that Paula was set to take the center stage at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards.

On April 18th choreographer Nika Kljun appeared on Instagram in a video announcing she was postponing her dance workshops to help put together “an amazing, fresh, spicy, top-notch live performance” for Abdul.

It marks her first awards show performance since the 1990 American Music Awards, when she opened the telecast with a vibrant, athletic rendition of her 1988 single "(It's Just) The Way That You Love Me."

A week later on April 25th dick clark productions, NBC and Billboard officially announced Paula would be performing a medley of her biggest record-breaking hits as the Billboard Music Award’s annual throwback moment.

Paula Abdul in BBMA rehearsals

On April 28th Paula began rehearsals for the show just two days after her father’s funeral. Photos of rehearsals and official promos began to circulate on social media.

This year marks the 30-year anniversary since Abdul's debut album, Forever Your Girl, hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart after a 64-week climb. That same year, 1989 through 1990, she had four singles grab the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100, which was the first time a debut album accomplished that feat.

In 1991, Spellbound also hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200, with two more Hot 100 chart-toppers. In her decades-long career, Abdul has dominated the Billboard charts with six No. 1 songs and eight top 10's.

Last year's throwback moment was a performance by Salt-N-Pepa, and in 2017, Celine Dion took the stage to deliver "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic.

Previously announced performers for the 2019 ceremony include BTS featuring Halsey, Ciara, Kelly Clarkson, Lauren Daigle, Dan + Shay with Tori Kelly, Halsey, Jonas Brothers, Khalid, Madonna and Maluma, Panic! at the Disco, and Icon Award recipient Mariah Carey.

Paula tosses her hat at the BBMAs

Paula Abdul‘s show-stopping performance at the Billboard Music Awards on had one accidental casualty — Julianne Hough‘s neck!

As Paula danced and sang through a spirited medley of her biggest hits, at one point she threw a large black hat off of her head and into the crowd. As the hat flew off, it hit Hough directly in the neck, causing her to laughingly gasp and turn toward the camera.

After the show, Hough, 30, shared a photo of herself still wearing her glam awards show outfit with what appeared to be a white neck brace around her neck. In the snap, the dancer smiled and gave two thumbs up.

“The result of the honor of being hit in the neck by @PaulaAbdul’s flying hat!” she wrote. “Love you, babe!!!”

Paula Abdul performs at the BBMAs

The BBMAs were hosted by Kelly Clarkson, and aired from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on May 1 at 8 p.m. EST/PST on NBC.

Paula’s BBMA’s performance garnered wild excitement from a celebrity-packed audience and earned rave reviews online. As a result of her performance at the Billboard Music Awards, the collected songs Paula performed logged a 102% gain in streams.

Before the show, Abdul announced she is starting a Las Vegas Residency at The Flamingo. The show is titled “Paula Abdul: Forever Your Girl” and will be playing on select dates throughout 2019-2020.