Paula Abdul, who was one of the three original “American Idol ” judges and exited the show after 8 seasons, impressed on the red carpet at the AMAs on May 25.
GettyThe 63-year-old looked better than ever as she posed on the carpet in an artfully eye-catching white gown. The top of the dress was an asymmetrical design with a sculpted flourish reaching up from the hip and over the shoulder. It also featured a plunging neckline that split the bodice in half. The entire bottom half of the dress was sheer, showing off Paula’s toned legs and flaring out at the feet to create a mermaid silhouette.
GettyThe petite beauty wore her brunette hair swept into a voluminous updo.
GettyPaula announced on Facebook that she would be presenting an award at the ceremony. Explaining her look to Entertainment Tonight, Paula said, “This is all Michael Costello, he designed this for me. It’s such a love of mine and…it’s a work of art.”
As for her recent appearance at the judging table on “American Idol,” Paula called it “such a plus” and went on to say how special it was to see the season 5 contestants “really come back and help the newer contestants feel their performances. It was incredible. It was lovely.”
Paula also said she enjoyed getting to sit next to Carrie Underwood, the winner of “American Idol” season 4, calling herself a “proud mommy.”
One person Paula missed out on reconnecting with during the mini “Idol” reunion was her former co-judge, Journey bassist Randy Jackson. She says she and Randy were supposed to mentor and judge together, but illness got in the way. While Randy was shooting, she was sick with the flu, but the pair collaborated on the phone each day to discuss the contestants.
She called the iconic fan-favorite trio of herself, Simon and Randy “a gift that kept on giving” and hyped “the amount of incredible superstars that came from the show.”
Paula Abdul Flashed Back to Her Favorite AMAs Moments
Leading up to the show, the former Laker Girl reflected on some of her favorite past moments at the AMAs by sharing an Instagram Carousel featuring what she called “unforgettable moments through the years.”
One of those moments was her iconic 1990 performance of “The Way That You Love Me” with which she opened the show. In another shot, the pop star posed with Justin Bieber in 2015.
The same year, Paula presented Ariana Grande with the AMA for Favorite Female Artist in the Pop/Rock category, another special memory she featured in the slideshow.
Paula Abdul Presented Song of the Year
Before presenting the award, Paula declared that the right song can “not only change your mood” but also your year or even “your entire life.”
The trophy went to the singing voice of HUNTR/X for the song “Golden” from “KPop Demon Hunters” that has dominated all year.
