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Morten Harket has announced that he will suffer from a Parkinson’s disease. The 65-year-old had a conversation in his country house in Norway with his biographer Jan Omdahl. In it he talks about dealing with the disease. And what he expects for his future – privately and professionally.
Electrostimulation against symptoms
“I have no problem accepting the diagnosis,” says Morten Harket “I have adopted my 94-year-old father’s attitude: ‘I use what is still working.’
Thanks to his Norwegian neurologist, Harket has received access to advanced treatment: deep brain stimulation (DBS). Morten Harket was operated on for the first time in June 2024. Electrodes were inserted into the left half of the brain, combined with a device under its skin that sends electrical impulses. The intervention on the right followed in December – with success, as he reports.
Everyday life with the disease
Although the interventions help, everyday life for Harket is complex. Medicines, electrostimulation, sleep, nutrition and mood must be recalculated every day. Insomnia or emotional stress have an immediate effect.
The singer who doesn’t want to sing
The voice – Morten Harket’s trademark – is particularly affected. Medicines often worsen his vocal control. “I don’t know if I can still sing. At the moment I don’t feel the desire for it – and that is a clear signal for me.” This means that a new album from A-Ha or a tour is not up for debate.
No dramatic loss for him
“I don’t see myself primarily as a singer. And I have other passions that are also part of me.” Despite the challenges, Morten Harket continues to write texts, does demos – and thinks about publications. “I am thinking about doing something completely new as an artist with Parkinson’s. It’s up to me – but I have to take this step first.”
The public step
What previously prevented him from making the diagnosis public was the desire for peace. Today it is the other way around: “It was more stressful that I had to treat my illness like a secret.” Morten Harket is part of a list of well -known personalities with Parkinson’s: Muhammad Ali, Michael J. Fox, Linda Ronstadt, Neil Diamond, Ozzy Osbourne.
A message to the fans
Despite everything, it is important to him to give his fans a little: “Don’t worry about me. Find out who you want to be – every day anew. And ensures our environment as long as we can.”