A-ha singer Morten Harket announces devastating diagnosis
The frontman of the Norwegian synth-pop group, known for hits including Take On Me and You Are The One, said he is having issues with his voice due to the condition
Morten Harket, lead singer of reformed Norwegian pop band A-ha
(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire )
A-ha's lead singer Morten Harket has announced his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease.
The frontman of the Norwegian synth-pop group, known for hits including Take On Me and You Are The One, said he is having issues with his voice due to the condition, which causes parts of the brain to become progressively damaged over many years.
His bandmate Magne Furuholmen has said all future A-ha-related activities "will of course be tuned to suit Morten's situation".
Speaking to a biographer for an article on the A-ha website, Harket, 65, said: "I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works'."
He continued: "Acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me.
"I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline.
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"It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects.
"There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general."
Harket underwent a neurosurgical procedure in which electrodes were implanted deep inside the left side of his brain in June 2024 and had a similar procedure on the right side of his brain in December 2024, according to the website article.
These electrodes are connected to a small pacemaker-like device placed under the skin of the upper chest that sends electrical impulses through the electrodes into the brain and this method of treatment is called deep brain stimulation (DBS).
There is currently no cure for Parkinson's disease but there are treatments like physiotherapy and medication, according to the NHS website.
The main symptoms are tremors, slow movement and stiff and inflexible muscles, and Harket also said the condition has affected his voice.
"The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future," he said.
Asked if he can sing at the moment, he said: "I don't really know. I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign.
"I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. The question is whether I can express myself with my voice.
"As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future."
He added: "For a few years now I've been working on songs that I've got great belief in, and I feel the lyrics, especially, have something of a different aspect of me in them.
"I'm not sure if I'll be able to finish them for release. Time will tell if they make it.
"I really like the idea of just going for it, as a Parkinson's patient and an artist, with something completely outside the box. It's all up to me, I just have to get this out of the way first."
A-ha formed in Oslo in 1982, comprised of guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, keyboardist Furuholmen and lead singer Harket.
The band has had nine top 10 singles in the UK chart, including chart-topping track The Sun Always Shines On TV, and seven top 10 albums.
Furuholmen said in an Instagram post on Wednesday: "It is a day of sad news in a-ha world. Having known about Morten's diagnosis for some time does not take the force out of the blow, nor diminish the impact it has had, and will continue have, on us – as people and as a band.
"Our thoughts are first and foremost with Morten and his family at a difficult time adjusting to the changes that this condition has brought into their lives.
"As the news brings sadness, it is worth to remember through the hurt that there is also a lot of gratitude: for all the amazing memories, for how our combined creative efforts as a band have been so generously embraced by the world, and for how lucky we are that people continue to find meaning, hope and joy in our shared musical legacy.
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"All future a-ha-related activities will of course be tuned to suit Morten's situation, but together we will work to try and find ways to give you the best of ourselves. Thank you everyone for all your support, your kind words, and consideration."
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