Morten Harket (a-ha) reveals Parkinson’s diagnosis and treatment journey
Morten Harket (Photo by Stian Andersen)
Morten Harket, the frontman of Norwegian pop trio a-ha, has revealed that he is living with Parkinson’s disease. The diagnosis, kept private until now, has been confirmed in a personal account written by Jan Omdahl for a-ha.com.
“I’ve got no problem accepting the diagnosis,” Harket stated. “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, known for his iconic falsetto on hits such as “Take On Me” and “Stay On These Roads,” has been quietly managing his condition for several years. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, a degenerative neurological disease caused by the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. The disease affects movement, voice, and motor control and currently has no cure.
Omdahl, who authored “The Swing of Things”, a biography of a-ha, visited Harket at his home on Norway’s south coast to discuss the journey. Although the singer has largely hidden the condition from the public, he explained his decision to speak out: “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.”
Despite the challenges, Harket has undergone extensive treatment, including deep brain stimulation (DBS), a procedure involving the implantation of electrodes into the brain. He received the operations at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, facilitated by his Norwegian neurologist Dr. Christina Sundal, formerly of the Mayo team.
The first procedure on the left side of his brain in June 2024 led to dramatic improvement. A second surgery in December 2024 on the right side was also successful. “The procedure had the desired effect,” Omdahl noted. “With the right electrical impulses now reaching Morten’s brain, many of his physical symptoms practically vanished.”
Nevertheless, the impact on his voice remains uncertain. “The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future,” Harket said. Asked whether he could still sing, he replied: “I don’t really know. I don’t feel like singing, and for me that’s a sign. […] As things stand now, that’s out of the question.” Harket explained that dopamine supplements, while necessary, tend to worsen his vocal condition. “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.”
Despite this, he remains philosophical. “When I say that my identity isn’t about being a singer, that’s my direct response. It comes straight from the heart.”
Now a grandfather as well as a father of five, Harket emphasized his need to follow medical advice rather than respond to alternative suggestions he expects to receive following the announcement. “I know there are many opinions and alternative theories,” he said. “But I need to listen to the professionals I have available to me […] I won’t be able to process anything else.”
Even with Parkinson’s, Harket has continued working on music. “For a few years now I’ve been working on songs that I’ve got great belief in,” he said, showing Omdahl lyrics and demos stored on his iPad.
As for what comes next, Harket says: “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.”
And he adds: “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. […] Know that I am being taken care of.”
About Morten Harket
Morten Harket, born on September 14, 1959, in Kongsberg, Norway, is a Norwegian vocalist and songwriter best known as the lead singer of the synthpop/rock band a-ha. Raised in the town of Asker, Harket developed an early interest in music, performing with local bands including Soldier Blue before co-founding a-ha in 1982 with Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen.
A-ha relocated to London in the early 1980s, eventually signing with Warner Bros. Records. Their debut album “Hunting High and Low” was released in 1985 and became a global success, selling over 10 million copies. It featured the chart-topping hit “Take On Me” and established Harket’s reputation for his expansive vocal range, particularly his powerful falsetto. The band followed with “Scoundrel Days” (1986), “Stay on These Roads” (1988), “East of the Sun, West of the Moon” (1990), and “Memorial Beach” (1993), progressively evolving their sound.
After a-ha went on hiatus in the mid-1990s, Harket pursued a solo career. His first solo album, “Poetenes Evangelium” (1993), was a Norwegian-language release featuring interpretations of religious poetry. This was followed by “Wild Seed” (1995), which produced the hit single “A Kind of Christmas Card”, and “Vogts Villa” (1996), sung entirely in Norwegian. Later solo works included “Letter from Egypt” (2008), “Out of My Hands” (2012) and “Brother” (2014).
A-ha reformed in 1998 for the Nobel Peace Prize Concert and resumed recording, releasing “Minor Earth Major Sky” (2000), “Lifelines” (2002), “Analogue” (2005), “Foot of the Mountain” (2009), and “Cast in Steel” (2015). In 2022, the band released “True North”, an album and accompanying film project recorded in Bodø, Norway.
Known for his introspective nature and philosophical outlook, Harket has frequently distanced himself from the trappings of celebrity. He has described himself as an artist first and foremost, often emphasizing that he does not define his identity strictly as a singer.
In 2025, Harket publicly disclosed that he is living with Parkinson’s disease. He underwent advanced neurosurgical treatment, including deep brain stimulation procedures at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, which significantly reduced his physical symptoms. Despite improvements in motor function, the disease has impacted his voice, leading to uncertainty about future performances.
In addition to his musical career, Harket has been involved in environmental advocacy and human rights initiatives. He is a father of five and a grandfather, residing in Norway with a lifestyle focused on craftsmanship, reflection, and creative exploration.
Since you’re here …
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Line’s independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
