A-ha frontman Morten Harket has revealed he has Parkinson’s disease – a progressive brain disorder caused by the death of nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine.
In a statement on the bands website, Morten, 65, said he had undergone several rounds of brain surgery and that he was managing the symptoms of the disease, but admitted he had been battling his own body in recent years.
It read: This isn’t the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is: Morten has Parkinson’s disease.
Morten also said he had initially kept the degenerative condition private but has now decided to tell fans and didnt know if he could sing or even perform again.
He 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”.
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.
A-ha frontman Morten Harket, 65, diagnosed with Parkinsons disease as band writes he has been battling his own body in recent years (pictured in June 2022)
Morten (pictured) with bandmembers Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar in 1984
The band were famous for hit songs such as Take On Me, (released in 1985)
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.
He told the bands biographer Jan Omdahl that he has been making the most of advanced technology in treating the disease and has been using a method called deep brain stimulation.
His neurologist in Norway is Dr. Christina Sundal at NeuroClinic Norway, and she was previously a research fellow with the Parkinson’s team at the Mayo Clinic.
He revealed he underwent a neurosurgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS) in June 2024 in which electrodes were implanted into the left side of his brain and he responded well and many of his physical symptoms practically vanished.
In December 2024 he underwent a similar procedure on the right side of his brain, which was also successful.
His voice has changed with Parkinsons and told Jan: The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future.
Parkinsons disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimers
Morten, (pictured in 1986) said he had initially kept the degenerative condition private but has now decided to tell fans
He said: I don’t really know [if I can sing anymore]. 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.
Famous US actor Michael J. Fox, 63, was diagnosed at just 29 years old with Parkinsons disease.
Formed in 1982 by Harket and his friends Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, A-ha saw a global breakthrough in 1985 with their debut album Hunting High and Low which yielded several hits such as Take On Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV.
Take On Me”was recently featured in the second season of HBOs hit series The Last of Us when the main character Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, performed an acoustic version of the song.
