A-ha singer Morten Harket diagnosed with Parkinson's disease

Reuters · Thomson Reuters

· Posted: Jun 05, 2025 11:03 AM EDT | Last Updated: June 5

Morten Harket, the pb singer of Norwegian set A-ha, whose Take On Me track remains 1 of the astir fashionable songs from the 1980s, said connected Wednesday that he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

In a connection connected the band's website, and confirmed by record statement Sony Music, Harket, 65, said helium had undergone respective rounds of encephalon country and that helium was managing the symptoms of the disease.

Parkinson's causes deterioration successful the brain's nervous system, starring to tremors and different symptoms that tin become progressively worse implicit time. The illness tin beryllium treated with surgery and medication, but determination is nary cure.

Harket said helium past twelvemonth underwent neurological procedures to person electrodes implanted wrong his encephalon and that this had reduced the symptoms.

Known for the wide scope of his voice, Harket said helium did not cognize if helium would beryllium capable to execute again.

"I've got nary occupation accepting the diagnosis," helium said, adding that it was hard to equilibrium medicine and managing side effects of the treatment.

"I'm trying the champion I tin to forestall my full strategy from going into decline," Harket said.

Formed successful 1982 by Harket and his friends Paul Waaktaar-Savoy and Magne Furuholmen, a-ha saw a planetary breakthrough successful 1985 with their debut medium Hunting High and Low which yielded several hits specified arsenic Take On Me and The Sun Always Shines on TV.

Take On Me was precocious featured successful the 2nd play of HBO's deed bid The Last of Us when the main quality Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey, performed an acoustic mentation of the song. 

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