The frontman of A-ha, Morten Harket, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.
On Wednesday, June 2, 2025, the Norwegian “Take On Me” band officially released a statement, which reads, “This isn’t the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is: Morten has Parkinson’s disease.”
He stated: “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.’
The singer continued, “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, popular for his falsetto vocal, rose to prominence in the 1980s with synth pop trio A-ha’s international chart-topping song “Take On Me.”
The singer shares three children with his ex-wife Camilla Malmquist Harket, whom he divorced in 1998, a daughter with ex-girlfriend Anne Mette Undlien and another daughter with girlfriend Inez Andersson.
What is Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that causes various problems with movement, mental health, sleep, pain and other health issues.
Nearly 145,000 people in the UK are suffering from this condition. According to the NHS, symptoms of Parkinson’s typically develop after the age of 50.
It includes several symptoms such as difficulty balancing, nerve pain, incontinence, insomnia, excessive sweating, depression and anxiety.
The NHS demonstrates that those living with the neurodegenerative disorder may undergo physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and brain surgery to treat this condition.
