Morten Harket: Frontman of Norwegian band a-ha, known for iconic hit Take On Me, diagnosed with Parkinson's
Morten Harket, the iconic frontman of Norwegian band a-ha, best known for the global hit Take On Me, has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
The announcement was made in an article published on a-ha’s official website, marking the first time Harket has spoken publicly about his condition.
“I’ve got no problem accepting the diagnosis,” Harket said. “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’.”
The 64-year-old singer has been living with the disease privately for some time. Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological condition, affects dopamine-producing cells in the brain and leads to tremors, stiffness, and difficulties with balance, movement, and speech.
In June and December 2024, Harket underwent deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery at the Mayo Clinic in the US with electrodes implanted into both sides of his brain to help manage symptoms. The treatment, coordinated by his neurologist Dr Christina Sundal, led to dramatic improvements in his physical condition, though side effects remain a challenge.
“I’m trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline,” Harket explained. “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.”
Though outwardly still active, including driving and tackling odd jobs around his island home, Harket says the effort to stay functional is constant and exhausting. The unpredictability of his condition, coupled with sleep disruption and medication adjustments, affects his energy and ability to work creatively. “You’re actually seeing me at my worst right now,” he said during the interview.
Asked whether he can still sing amid the illness, Harket responded: “I don’t really know. I don’t feel like singing, and for me that’s a sign… The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that’s out of the question.”
He added: “When we tune the frequencies and direction of the electrodes, it is also able to affect the region of the voice, but we’re not yet able to capture and control it. The voice problem comes especially when I take dopamine supplements. If I don’t take dopamine, my voice settles down – but then the general underlying symptoms become more pronounced.”
On sharing the diagnosis publicly, Harket admitted the decision wasn’t easy. “It used to bother me to think about my sickness becoming public knowledge. In the long run it bothers me more to have to protect something that is strictly a private matter by treating it as a secret.”
He added: “I’m going to get so many messages about what to do and how to deal with it. Lots of suggestions for cures and whatnot, all from well-meaning people… I won’t be able to process anything else.”
To his fans, Harket said: “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. Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.”
Harket however hasn’t given up on music. He revealed he’s been writing songs he hopes to one day complete, saying: “For a few years now I’ve been working on songs that I’ve got great belief in… 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.”