A-ha frontman Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and has been ‘battling his own body’ in recent years
A-ha’s lead singer Morten Harket has opened up about his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis. The Norwegian group broke the news to their fans via a statement on their official website, revealing that Morten has been “battling his own body” for some time.
The statement disclosed: “This isn’t the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is: Morten has Parkinson’s disease.”
In a candid interview on the band’s site, 65 year old Harket shared that he had initially kept his condition private but now feels ready to share with fans.
Fan Ems took to X to share an interaction that looks like it could have been with the singer: “Oh Morten Harket the person you are.”
Another fan calling himself Mr Benn said via their X account “Terribly sad news about Morten Harket. Aha! What a band. Such a great collection of songs. I have seen them loads. Sending hugs to a legend..”
Fan The Sting said via their X account “So sad to hear Morten Harket has been battling Parkinson’s disease. A-ha are such a great band and gave us one of the best James Bond themes with The Living Daylights. Moten is facing it like a pro, ‘Don’t worry about me… know that I am being taken care of.'”
Morten explained the diagnosis: “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.'”
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“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. 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.”, reports the Mirror.
For the heartfelt announcement, Morten sat down with the band’s biographer Jan Omdahl at his residence along the southern coast of Norway.
He revealed that only a select few in his close circle were aware of his illness, but he had refrained from sharing the news more widely due to the unpredictable repercussions of going public with the disease.
However, behind closed doors, Morten has been utilising cutting-edge technology in the treatment of Parkinson’s, employing a technique known as deep brain stimulation.
Morten’s neurologist in Norway is Dr. Christina Sundal at NeuroClinic Norway, who previously served as a research fellow with the Parkinson’s team at the Mayo Clinic, a highly respected clinic in the US for medication and advanced brain surgery.
In June 2024, Morten underwent a neurosurgical procedure where electrodes were implanted deep within the left side of his brain. These are linked to a small pacemaker-like device situated under the skin of the upper chest that transmits electrical impulses through the electrodes into the brain.
This technique is known as deep brain stimulation (DBS) and it is among the most sophisticated treatments in neurology, to which Morten thankfully responded well.
The operation achieved the desired outcome: with the correct electrical impulses now reaching Morten’s brain, many of his physical symptoms practically disappeared.
In December 2024, he underwent a similar procedure on the right side of his brain, which was also successful, and he is still able to drive in Norway although not everything about his body is as it once was. His voice has altered due to Parkinson’s.
“The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future,” he reveals.
When questioned if he’s able to sing at all, he confesses: “I don’t really know. 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.
“I was always meant to do different things, but I’ve ended up with a fairly permanent position as singer in a band. When I say that my identity isn’t about being a singer, that’s my direct response. It comes straight from the heart. People associate me with it, naturally enough, and I realize that. I see singing as my responsibility, and at certain moments I think it’s absolutely fantastic that I get to do it. But I’ve got other passions too, I have other things that are just as big a part of me, that are just as necessary and true.”
Despite voicing these uncertainties, he has been actively penning lyrics on an iPad and has laid down some fairly recent demos.
When questioned about any message he had for his fans, Morten responded: “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.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
