A-Ha Vocalist Morten Harket Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis: ‘Take on Me’ Singer ‘Doesn’t Feel Like Singing’

Morten Harket, the man partially responsible for defining the sound of the ’80s with his global hit “Take On Me” in his band a-ha, revealed a heartbreaking diagnosis yesterday.

The 65-year-old Norwegian singer posted on the band’s official website in an interview with Jan Omdahl that he has Parkinson’s disease.

“I don’t feel like singing, and for me that’s a sign,” he said. “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 singer did not disclose how long he has been battling the condition.

A-ha became a global sensation with “Take On Me” thanks to the song’s infectious hook and ubiquitous music video that played frequently on MTV in the 1980s. The song has continued to have influence throughout many generations, with its most recent cultural moment coming from a pivotal scene in Netflix’s smash-hit drama Adolescence.

The announcement came at a big moment for the band, as Wednesday was the 40th anniversary of the release of “Take On Me.”

“I’ve got no problem accepting the diagnosis,” Harket said. “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.’”