Latest news with #biographer
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Health
- News.com.au
A-Ha singer Morten Harket may not sing again after Parkinson's diagnosis
A-ha singer Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and may not be able to sing again. The 'Take on Me' superstar shared in an interview on the Norwegian synth pop band's website that treatment for symptoms of the condition have affected his voice and 'creative future.' The 65-year-old singer said he has been undergoing deep brain stimulation treatment for the past year after two procedures to implant electrodes into the left and then right side of his brain. The electrical impulses fired into his brain have reduced the impact of some of the disease's physical symptoms but have affected his soaring vocal power and ability to sing. 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign,' he told the band's biographer Jan Omdahl. '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.' Harket said he had kept the diagnosis private until now so he could focus on the 'delicate balancing act' of managing his symptoms with medication and advanced neurological treatment. He said he had 'no problems accepting the diagnosis' and took his 94-year-old father's advice to 'use whatever works' as he navigates living with the degenerative disorder. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me,' Harket said. 'I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline. 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 and bandmates Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy last toured Australia in 2020 and performed what may be their final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2022. The musician said he had been working on new songs in recent years but was unsure 'if I'll be able to finish them for release.' But the philosophical singer told fans not to worry about him. 'Don't worry about me. Find out who you want to be – a process that can be new each and every day. Be good servants of nature, the very basis of our existence, and care for the environment while it is still possible to do so,' he said. 'Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.'
The Sun
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Freddie Mercury's secret child revealed after Queen legend's fling with close friend's wife
FREDDIE Mercury's secret child has been revealed for the first time in 48 years. The Queen legend had a daughter in 1976 after a fling with a close friend's wife. 1 Now, she has broken her silence to reveal her existence, which was, until now, only ever known by Freddie's bandmates, parents, sister and his long-term partner Mary Austin. She has spoken out for the first time in a new book, Love, Freddie, written by biographer Lesley-Ann Jones. Before the iconic singer died of pneumonia caused by Aids in 1991, Freddie gave his daughter 17 volumes of his personal journals. She kept them a secret for years, but recently handed them over to the author to form the basis of the book that'll be released later this year. The woman, who was born in 1976, says she always knew the legendary singer was her dad - despite being raised by a loving family. She lives in Europe working as a medical professional with children of her own, making Freddie a post-humous granddad.
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Why Queen Elizabeth II was 'dismayed' by Prince Harry's behaviour before and after his wedding to Meghan Markle
The late Queen was left 'dismayed' by Prince Harry 's behaviour before and after his wedding to Meghan Markle and his relationship with his grandmother was 'left badly damaged', a royal biographer has claimed. It was a picture perfect wedding when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in May 2018.
