Latest news with #TakeonMe
New York Post
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
A-Ha singer Morten Harket may not sing again after Parkinson's diagnosis
A-ha singer Morten Harket has revealed he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and may not be able to sing again. The 'Take on Me' superstar shared in an interview on the Norwegian synth pop band's website that treatment for symptoms of the condition have affected his voice and 'creative future.' The 65-year-old singer said he has been undergoing deep brain stimulation treatment for the past year after two procedures to implant electrodes into the left and then right side of his brain. 4 Morten Harket in the music video for the A-Ha song 'Take On Me.' The electrical impulses fired into his brain have reduced the impact of some of the disease's physical symptoms but have affected his soaring vocal power and ability to sing. 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign,' he told the band's biographer Jan Omdahl. '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.' 4 Harket from A-ha performs on stage at the Bergenfest festival on June 15, 2022 in Bergen, Norway. Redferns Harket said he had kept the diagnosis private until now so he could focus on the 'delicate balancing act' of managing his symptoms with medication and advanced neurological treatment. He said he had 'no problems accepting the diagnosis' and took his 94-year-old father's advice to 'use whatever works' as he navigates living with the degenerative disorder. '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 said. '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. 4 A-ha perform at Idyll Festival at Isegran on June 17, 2022 in Fredrikstad, Norway. Corbis via Getty Images 4 (L-R) Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Pal Waaktaar-Savoy. picture alliance via Getty Images '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.' Harket and bandmates Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy last toured Australia in 2020 and performed what may be their final concert at the Hollywood Bowl in July 2022. The musician said he had been working on new songs in recent years but was unsure 'if I'll be able to finish them for release.' But the philosophical singer told fans not to worry about him. '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,' he said. 'Spend your energy and effort addressing real problems, and know that I am being taken care of.'
STV News
04-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
A-ha frontman Morten Harket reveals Parkinson's diagnosis
Morten Harket, the lead singer of A-ha, who was behind the 80s hit Take on Me, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the band has announced. In a statement published on A-ha's website, Harket said he had kept his condition secret for some time, as he did not know how it being public knowledge would impact his life. But the 65-year-old said now was the time to tell fans. He said: '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''. He added: '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. A-ha in 1986. / Credit: PA '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.' The Norwegian national shot to fame in the 1980s with the pop trio's international hit Take On Me, which was released in 1985. He has had a prolific music career releasing over 10 albums with the band and several solo projects. In the statement issued on the band's website, they Harket's ability to live a full life despite his diagnosis had been greatly advanced thanks to advancements in treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. In June 2024, Harket underwent brain surgery in which electrodes were implanted deep inside the left side of his brain. These are connected to a small pacemaker-like device placed under the skin of the upper chest that sends electrical impulses through the electrodes into the brain. The method is called deep brain stimulation (DBS) and is among the most advanced treatments in neurology. Harket said the procedure had the desired effect, with the right electrical impulses now reaching Harket's brain, most of his physical symptoms had vanished. He underwent a second surgery in December 2024. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. It is unknown what causes it, but the main symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower movement than usual, and muscle stiffness. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A-ha Singer Morten Harket Reveals Parkinson's Disease Diagnosis
A-ha's Morten Harket revealed Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, which could impact the 'Take on Me' singer's powerful voice and 'creative future.' Harket, who was quietly battling Parkinson's over the past few years, announced the diagnosis on the Norwegian new wave band's official website via a new interview with A-ha biographer Jan Omdahl. More from Rolling Stone A-ha Detail Evolution of 'Take On Me' in Documentary Clip Tribeca to Premiere Films on Anthony Bourdain, A$AP Rocky, Rick James A-ha Release Remastered 4K Version of Classic 'Take on Me' Video '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,'' Harket said. '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.' According to Omdahl, beginning in June 2024, Harket underwent a neurosurgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS), where electrodes are implanted deep inside both sides of the brain. The procedure, 'among the most advanced treatments in neurology,' greatly reduced the physical toll of Parkinson's for Harket, combined with treatment from the NeuroClinic Norway that 'led to a dramatic improvement in his symptoms,' Omdahl wrote. However, Harket's skyscraping vocals — as evidenced on the band's hits 'Take on Me' and 'The Sun Always Shines on TV' — remain impacted by the Parkinson's. 'The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future,' Harket said, adding, '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.' 'I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign. I'm broad-minded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control,' Harket continued. '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.' A-ha last performed live in July 2022 on a world tour in support of their then-new album True North. Despite the diagnosis, Harket stressed to fans, '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.' Best of Rolling Stone The 50 Greatest Eminem Songs All 274 of Taylor Swift's Songs, Ranked The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
A-Ha Singer Morten Harket Reveals He Has Parkinson's Disease, Says He's Not Sure if He'll Sing Again
Morten Harket, the singer for A-Ha who rose to fame with the massive hit 'Take on Me,' has revealed that he is grappling with Parkinson's disease, and is not sure whether he will be able to perform publicly again. The singer made the revelation in an interview published on A-Ha's website in which he deals candidly with the effects of the disease. Harket says in the interview that he has had two brain surgeries to deal with staving off the effects on the body of the incurable condition. He held off for years in telling fans about the diagnosis, and only a few people in his close circle knew he was ill. More from Variety 'A-ha: The Movie' Review: An Appreciative Take on Them 'A-Ha The Movie': Watch First Trailer For Film on Iconic 'Take on Me' Pop Group (EXCLUSIVE) 'A-ha: The Movie' on 'Take on Me' Band to Receive Worldwide Release (EXCLUSIVE) '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,' he told interviewer Jan Omdahl. 'Part of me wanted to reveal it,' Harket said, noting that '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.' While he is able to manage most daily functions at present, Market says in the interview, 'The problems with my voice are one of many grounds for uncertainty about my creative future.' Asked if he can sing at all now, Market answers: ''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.' The story says: 'The simple fact that, on good days, Morten shows virtually no sign of many of the most familiar physical symptoms of Parkinson's, doesn't mean that he is well.' The article says that Harket has been dealing with the condition through medication and through advanced brain surgery at the Mayo Clinic. In June 2024, he successfully underwent a neurosurgical procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS) in which electrodes were implanted in the left side of his brain, connected to a pacemaker-like device; six months later, he had the same procedure on the right side, also successfully. The story uses the fact that Harket is able to drive while being interviewed as proof that these surgeries offered him relief in being able to regain strong motor functions. A-Ha headlined the Hollywood Bowl on July 31, 2022 at the end of a summer tour, and no public performances by the band have been registered since then on the website Setlists,fm. His attitude, as described in the story, is that he is trying to set aside his professional identity to get through the ordeals he is facing and concentrate more on what he is still able to accomplish. ''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.' He is wary about some of the response he knows will come in from fans who want to be helpful. 'I'm going to get so many messages about what to do and how to deal with it. Lots of suggestions for cures and whatnot, all from well-meaning people. I know there are many opinions and alternative theories, but I need to listen to the professionals I have available to me, who are taking care of this with me and for me, and who keep a close eye on developments in many areas of research taking place today. I won't be able to process anything else.' Asked what he would want to say to A-Ha fans now, Market says, '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.' Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts?
ITV News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ITV News
A-ha frontman Morten Harket reveals Parkinson's diagnosis
Morten Harket, the lead singer of A-ha, who was behind the 80s hit Take on Me, has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the band has announced. In a statement published on A-ha's website, Harket said he had kept his condition secret for some time, as he did not know how it being public knowledge would impact his life. But the 65-year-old said now was the time to tell fans. He said: "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'".He added: "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." The Norwegian national shot to fame in the 1980s with the pop trio's international hit Take On Me, which was released in 1985. He has had a prolific music career releasing over 10 albums with the band and several solo projects. In the statement issued on the band's website, they Harket's ability to live a full life despite his diagnosis had been greatly advanced thanks to advancements in treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. In June 2024, Harket underwent brain surgery in which electrodes were implanted deep inside the left side of his brain. These are connected to a small pacemaker-like device placed under the skin of the upper chest that sends electrical impulses through the electrodes into the brain. The method is called deep brain stimulation (DBS) and is among the most advanced treatments in neurology. Harket said the procedure had the desired effect, with the right electrical impulses now reaching Harket's brain, most of his physical symptoms had vanished. He underwent a second surgery in December 2024. Parkinson's disease is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer's disease. It is unknown what causes it, but the main symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower movement than usual, and muscle stiffness.
