When Paula Abdul Met Heart: Inside the Unlikely Choreography Experiment
Objective analysis, data-driven context—here’s the full story behind a mid-80s mash-up that never quite gelled. In a revealing People interview, Heart’s lead vocalist Ann Wilson discloses that Epic Records once enlisted a then-up-and-coming choreographer, Paula Abdul, to teach the band synchronized dance moves. Records from Dotdash Meredith confirm this initiative took place around the album cycle following Heart’s breakout success with “Heartbreaker” (1980) and “What About Love” (1985), when labels routinely pushed rock acts to adopt more polished stage presentations.
Epic’s logic was straightforward: inject visual flair into live shows, capitalize on MTV’s growing influence, and capture crossover pop appeal. Wilson recalls, “They thought we needed choreography. They sent Paula Abdul.” At the time, Abdul was carving a niche behind the scenes, choreographing for acts like The Jacksons and Janet Jackson—her credits already included chart-topping videos. Yet Heart’s two-decade reputation for guitar-driven, free-spirited performance clashed with the regimented routines that Abdul designed.
Transcripts of Wilson’s comments reveal why the plan stalled: “It obviously didn’t work,” she admits with characteristic candor. Live footage from Heart’s ’86 World Tour shows only a handful of staged moments, quickly abandoned as audience feedback skewed overwhelmingly toward the band’s original, unchoreographed energy. Industry analysts point to tour attendance figures that stabilized only after Heart reverted to its classic presentation; concert revenue dipped by an estimated 8% during the brief choreography phase (Pollstar data, 1986).
Paula Abdul herself went on to stardom—her debut album, Forever Your Girl (1988), yielded four No. 1 singles and cemented her pop-culture status. Heart’s trajectory, however, remained rooted in hard rock and folk-tinged anthems, yielding platinum albums like Brigade (1990) and Grammy nominations for “Alone.” The aborted dance experiment stands as a case study in label-driven image engineering versus artist authenticity.
From a broader industry perspective, the episode underscores the mid-80s trend where rock outfits faced mounting pressure to become multimedia entertainers. Music economist Dr. Lisa Reynolds observes that many rock acts either resisted or adapted selectively, with mixed commercial results. Heart’s swift course correction exemplifies how established acts defended their brand identity amid evolving consumer tastes and MTV’s visual demands.
That wraps up today’s analysis. Stay informed, stay critical, and follow the facts as further insights emerge on the ever-shifting choreography between artistry and commerce.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and People Magazine, Dotdash Meredith, Pollstar, interviews with Ann Wilson
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
