Introduction to Morten Harket’s Diagnosis
The news about Morten Harket, the frontman of the Norwegian synth-pop band A-ha, being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease was announced on the band’s official website. This news was shared in an article written by Jan Omdahl, Harket’s biographer, which also revealed that the singer had undergone brain surgery twice.
Accepting the Diagnosis
Harket, who is 65 years old, expressed that he had no problem accepting the diagnosis. He compared his attitude towards the diagnosis to that of his 94-year-old father, saying, "I use everything that always works." A-ha is best known for their megahit "Take on Me," which features Harket’s famous falsetto.
Living with Parkinson’s Disease
Omdahl wrote that Harket has been living with the illness for several years, and despite medication and brain operations at the Mayo Clinic in the USA, he still has to deal with the symptoms. Harket underwent an advanced neurosurgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS) in June last year, where electrodes were implanted deep into the left side of his brain. He had a similar procedure on the right side of his brain in December 2024, which was also successful.
Uncertainty about the Future
While Harket can still drive his car, he is less sure about his future as a singer. He mentioned that the problems with his voice are one of many reasons for uncertainty about his creative future. On good days, Harket shows "practically no signs of many of the best-known physical symptoms of Parkinson’s," but he still requires "exertion around the clock" to compensate for medication, signals from the electrodes in his brain, sleep, blood sugar, and his way of thinking to keep the symptoms in check.
The Challenges of Parkinson’s
According to the NHS website, Parkinson’s disease is caused by a loss of nerve cells in part of the brain, leading to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine plays an important role in regulating body movement, and symptoms of the disease can include involuntary shaking, slow movement, stiff and inflexible muscles, depression, and anxiety. Harket said, "I don’t really know if I can sing now. I don’t feel like singing, and that’s a sign for me."
Other Passions and Responsibilities
Harket sees singing as his responsibility, and at certain moments, he finds it absolutely fantastic that he can do it. However, he also has other passions and things that are part of him that are just as necessary and true. He is working on new lyrics but is not sure if he can finish and publish them. Harket concluded that he would now "listen to the professionals" and asked his fans, "don’t worry about me."
Conclusion and Message to Fans
Harket revealed that he worked on new lyrics, but was "not sure" if he could end and publish them. He said, "Time will say whether you can do it. I like the idea of doing it as a patient and artist with Parkinson’s with something completely outside the plate." He also said, "It always bothered me to think about my illness that will be public knowledge. In the long run, it bothers me more to protect something that is only a private matter by treating it as a secret." Harket, who also had a solo career and hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo in 1996, was knighted in Norway in 1992, along with his A-ha band colleagues, for their services to Norwegian music and international success.
