Morten Harket facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Morten Harket
Harket performing in 2013
Background information
Born	(1959-09-14) 14 September 1959 (age 66) Kongsberg, Norway
Genres	Synth-pop new wave pop rock alternative rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter
Instruments	Vocals guitar
Years active	1982–present
Labels	Polydor Warner Bros. KKV/BMG Norway

Morten Harket, born on September 14, 1959, is a famous Norwegian singer. He is best known as the lead singer of the popular band A-ha. A-ha has released many albums and became super famous worldwide with their song "Take On Me" in 1985. Morten has also made six albums on his own.

Before A-ha, Morten sang for a blues band called Souldier Blue in Oslo. King Harald of Norway honored Morten with a special award, the Order of St. Olav. This was for his amazing contributions to Norwegian music and his success around the world.

Morten Harket's Early Life

Morten grew up in Asker, a town in southern Norway. His father was a chief physician at a hospital, and his mother was an economics teacher. He has four siblings: Gunvald, Håkon, Ingunn, and Kjetil.

When he was young, Morten loved music from artists like Uriah Heep, Jimi Hendrix, Queen, and David Bowie. His father almost became a classical pianist. Morten took piano lessons for a while, but he found it hard to practice regularly. He started writing music and playing piano when he was just four years old.

Morten Harket's Music Career

Joining the Band A-ha

Morten, guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen formed the band A-ha on September 14, 1982. They moved from Norway to London to start their music career. They chose a studio that had a Space Invaders game machine! There, they met John Ratcliff, who became their producer and manager. He then introduced them to Terry Slater, and soon A-ha had two managers helping them.

The band's name, "A-ha," came from a song title Paul was thinking about. Morten saw it in Paul's notebook, liked it, and decided it was the perfect name for their band.

A-ha's Big Hits and Albums

In 1984, A-ha released their first song, "Take On Me." It became a huge international hit in 1985 after they re-recorded it and made a famous music video. This success helped their first album, Hunting High and Low, sell over 10 million copies worldwide.

They released more albums like Scoundrel Days, Stay on These Roads, and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. After a less successful album called Memorial Beach, the band took a break.

Harket performing at an A-ha concert in 2005

Morten rejoined his bandmates in A-ha in 1998 to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize concert. Since then, A-ha has released more studio albums and collections of their songs. Their album Analogue in 2005 was very popular and sold many copies. Their album Foot of the Mountain was released in 2009.

Morten Harket is known for holding a very long note in A-ha's 2000 song "Summer Moved On." He held it for 20.2 seconds, which is thought to be one of the longest notes ever held in a UK chart song!

In October 2009, A-ha announced they would stop making music together after a farewell tour in 2010. Tickets for their last concert in Oslo sold out in just two hours. However, A-ha reunited in September 2015 for a big festival in Brazil. This led to a new tour and another album called Cast in Steel.

In June 2017, the band performed for MTV Unplugged in Norway. This live album, called Summer Solstice, came out that October. An acoustic version of "Take On Me" was even used in the Hollywood movie Deadpool 2.

A-ha Band Members' Thoughts

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy describes Morten as very different from himself. He remembers Morten burning all his old clothes and buying new ones when they first went to London. Paul says Morten helped him gain confidence. He also mentioned that Morten and he both have big ambitions, and Magne often helps them work together.

Magne Furuholmen says Morten is very focused. He believes strongly in what he does, which inspires the band. Magne also says Morten is very loyal and fair, giving people a chance before judging them.

Morten has sung with other famous artists on A-ha recordings, including Graham Nash, Lissie, and Alison Moyet.

Royal Recognition for A-ha

All three members of A-ha – Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy – received a special honor from the King of Norway. They were made Knights of the First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav. This award is given for great service to Norway and to people around the world. The ceremony happened on November 6, 2012.

Morten Harket's Solo Work

Harket performing in Stavanger in 2010

Before joining A-ha, Morten was the lead singer of a soul band called Soldier Blue. In 1993, he sang a cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" for the Coneheads movie soundtrack.

After A-ha took a break in 1994, Morten started his own solo music career. He has released six studio albums. His album Letter from Egypt came out in 2008. In 2012, he released Out of My Hands, and in 2014, his sixth album, Brother, was released.

Morten has also worked with many other artists. He collaborated with the Pakistani rock band Junoon and with singer Hayley Westenra. He has also performed with many other Scandinavian artists.

In 2009, Morten created and sang the main song for a film called A Name is a Name.

Other Performances and Appearances

Morten Harket has appeared in many other shows and concerts:

• He was a co-presenter for the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway.
• Morten performed a duet with Klaus Meine from the German band Scorpions for an MTV Unplugged album in 2013.
• He made a surprise appearance with Christina Aguilera and Pitbull at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards. They performed a song that used a sample from A-ha's "Take On Me."
• Morten sang the official UNICEF song "Children First" with Hayley Westenra at a UNICEF benefit concert in 2005.
• In January 2021, Morten appeared on the British TV show The Masked Singer as the Viking. He even sang "Take on Me" on the show! He finished in seventh place.

Morten Harket's Amazing Voice

Morten Harket has a very wide vocal range. Some people have said it covers five octaves, but Morten himself said he has never counted.

His voice is known for its incredible falsetto, which is a very high singing voice. One sound engineer who worked with A-ha described Morten as an "excellent singer" with a "strong falsetto and almost choir-boyish clarity."

Morten Harket's Personal Life

Harket at Oslo Pride parade in 2016

Morten has five children. He has three children with his former wife, Camilla Malmquist Harket. He also has two daughters from other relationships.

Morten enjoys drawing, painting, music, and cars. He is a fan of the English football team Stoke City. While he lives in Norway, he also has a home in London.

In 2025, Morten shared that he was diagnosed with a health condition called Parkinson's disease. He has a very positive outlook, saying he accepts the diagnosis and learns from his father's wisdom about dealing with health changes. He underwent a special treatment to help manage his condition. Morten has kindly asked people to trust his doctors and not send him advice, as he relies on the professionals who are helping him. Unfortunately, this treatment, done in the United States, affected his singing voice.

Morten Harket's Music Albums

Studio Albums

Singles

Morten Harket's Film and TV Appearances

• 1988 Kamilla og tyven (Kamilla and the Thief) as Christoffer
• 1989 Kamilla og tyven II as Christoffer
• 1996 Eurovision Song Contest as co-host
• 2009 Yohan: The Child Wanderer as Yussuf
• 2010 The Armstrong & Miller Show as himself (cameo appearance)
• 2021 The Masked Singer – as Viking

See also

In Spanish: Morten Harket para niños

• List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters