Morten Harket

The son of Reidar, a chief physician at a hospital, and Henny, an economics teacher, and brother to Gunvald, Håkon, Ingunn and Kjetil, Morten grew up in Asker in southern Norway.{{cite web |title=Morten Harket – early years |url=http://www.biography.com/people/morten-harket-21095421#early-years |website=Biography.com|access-date=26 November 2014}} His early musical influences included Uriah Heep,{{Cite news |date=2 March 2015 |title=Morten Harket: Interview – Classic Pop Magazine |language=en-US |newspaper=Classic Pop Magazine |url=http://www.classicpopmag.com/2015/03/morten-harket-interview/|access-date=20 October 2016}} Jimi Hendrix, Queen, Johnny Cash, Simon and Garfunkel, David Bowie, and James Brown. Morten's father had contemplated becoming a classical pianist; Morten also took piano lessons for a while but lacked the discipline to practice. At the age of four he started writing music and playing piano.{{cite web |title=Morten Harket: Interview |url=http://www.classicpopmag.com/2015/03/morten-harket-interview/ |date=2 March 2015 |publisher=Classic Pop|access-date=15 March 2015}}

The trio, comprising lead vocalist Harket, guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (Pål Waaktaar until his marriage in 1994), and keyboardist Magne Furuholmen, formed on 14 September 1982, and left Norway for London to make a career in the music business. They chose the studio of musician, producer, and soon-to-be-manager John Ratcliff, because it had a Space Invaders machine. Ratcliff introduced the band to his manager, Terry Slater, and, after a few meetings, A-ha had two managers. Slater and Ratcliff together formed T.J. Management. Ratcliff dealt with all the technical and musical aspects; Slater was the international business manager and liaison to Warner Brothers' head office. The band says the name "A-ha" comes from a title Paul contemplated giving to a song; he was dithering between the titles "A-ha" and "A-hem". Morten was looking through Paul's notebook, and came across the name, which he liked, and immediately decided that it was the right name.[http://a-ha.com/the-band/the-story-so-far/chapter-3/ The Story So Far... Chapter 3]. Official Community of a-ha

In 1984, A-ha released their first single, "Take On Me", which became a hit only on the third attempt in 1985, after it had been re-recorded and accompanied by a music video directed by Steve Barron. The single's international success helped A-ha's debut album Hunting High and Low to sell over 10 million copies worldwide. Their second studio album was Scoundrel Days, followed by Stay on These Roads and East of the Sun, West of the Moon. The band then issued the commercially disappointing Memorial Beach, after which the band went on hiatus. Image:a-ha Morten2.jpgHarket re-joined his colleagues in A-ha in 1998{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2009/aug/17/decca-aitkenhead-meets-aha |title=A-ha: 'We were very reluctant pop stars' |last=Aitkenhead |first=Decca |date=16 August 2009 |newspaper=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077|access-date=20 October 2016}} to perform at the Nobel Peace Prize concert. Since 1998, A-ha has released four studio albums and several compilations. Their eighth studio album Analogue was released in 2005, and became a big hit worldwide, achieving Platinum certification in the UK. The band's last studio album before their split, Foot of the Mountain, was released in the spring of 2009.

Harket held a note for 20.2 seconds in a-ha's 2000 song "Summer Moved On", believed to be the longest note in UK chart history.{{cite web |url=http://www.everyhit.com/record7.html |title=Longest vocal note in a hit single |publisher=Everyhit.com}} The note held exceeds the chest voice note in Bill Withers' song "Lovely Day" by 2.2 seconds. In October 2009, A-ha announced that they would disband after a farewell tour in 2010. Tickets for A-ha's final concert at the Oslo Spektrum on 4 December 2010 sold out within two hours.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}} On 27 September 2015, A-ha reunited for a huge crowd assembled at Rock in Rio 2015 festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which led to a reunion tour and the Cast in Steel album.{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}

In June 2017 the band performed for MTV Unplugged in their homeland. Subtitled as Summer Solstice, This live album was released that October, and the acoustic version of "Take On Me" was made part of the soundtrack of the Hollywood movie Deadpool 2.{{cite journal |title=Unplugged A-Ha in Deadpool 2! {{!}} B101 |journal=Kristin Lessard & Steve Kelly |page=b101.iheart.com |url=https://b101.iheart.com/featured/kristin-lessard-steve-kelly/content/2018-05-25-unplugged-A-ha-in-deadpool-2/ |access-date=9 April 2021 |date=25 May 2018 |language=en}}

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy describes Harket as being "totally different from me." He recalls the band's first visit to London together, during which Harket burned all his clothes and re-fashioned his wardrobe. "He has given me self-confidence, encourages me to talk to people, not to be afraid and to use the abilities I have. Morten is actually the only one in Norway who had as much ambition as I did. I guess we both have big egos. In a way, we're each sitting in our own little world, while Mags is more down to earth. Mags often has to mediate between Morten and me... It's good that we're so different and still respect each other. The tension between us is creative."{{cite web |url=http://A-ha.com/the-band/the-story-so-far/ |title=Band website |publisher=a-ha.com |access-date=4 March 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616032250/http://A-ha.com/the-band/the-story-so-far/ |archive-date=16 June 2012 |url-status=dead}}

Magne Furuholmen describes Harket as "together". Furuholmen says Harket "believes strongly in everything he does. This goes for the band too, and it rubs off on us. He has the courage of his own convictions and cannot be shaken. He's an expert at always getting the last word, whether he's right or not. Morten is very loyal and he's fair when it comes to giving people a chance, letting them show who they are and what they're worth before judging them."

On A-ha recordings, Morten has sung with Graham Nash, Lissie, Alison Moyet, Ian McCulloch, Ingrid Helene Håvik and Anneli Drecker.{{citation needed|date=November 2021}}

The three members of A-ha, Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, were appointed Knights of the First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for their contribution to Norwegian music. The Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav is granted as a reward for distinguished services to the country and humankind. The official ceremony took place on 6 November 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.musicexportnorway.no/A-ha-receives-prestigious-award.5087027-149133.html |title=A-ha receives prestigious award – Music Export Norway |publisher=Musicexportnorway.no}}{{cite web |url=http://www.kongehuset.no/c26939/nyhet/vis.html?tid=102654 |title=Utnevnelse til St. Olavs Orden |publisher=kongehuset.no |date=6 September 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.musicexportnorway.no/press.149137.en.html |title=a-ha tildeles St. Olavs Orden – Music Export Norway |publisher=Musicexportnorway.no}}

Image: Morten Harket Stavanger.JPG, 2010]]

Before Morten joined Pål and Magne, he was the lead singer of a soul band, Soldier Blue.{{Cite web |url=http://A-ha.com/the-band/the-story-so-far/chapter-6/ |title=morten harket |work=The Official Website of A-ha |language=en-US|access-date=20 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412112617/http://A-ha.com/the-band/the-story-so-far/chapter-6/|archive-date=12 April 2016|url-status=dead}} In 1993, Harket performed a cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Crewe/Gaudio on the Coneheads movie soundtrack in 1993.{{Cite web |url= https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0363122/ |title=Morten Harket |website=IMDb.com |access-date=20 October 2016}}

After A-ha went on a hiatus in 1994, Harket pursued a solo career. He has released six studio albums.{{citation needed|date=March 2011}} Harket released his solo album, Letter from Egypt, on 28 May 2008 via Universal Records Germany.{{cite web |url=http://www.side-line.com/news_comments.php?id=25853_0_2_0_C |title=Solo album for Morten Harket |publisher= | website= side-line.com |date=22 February 1999}} In April 2012, Harket released his new solo album, Out of My Hands, in both Norway and Germany, and on 14 May in the UK. In April 2014, Harket released his sixth album, Brother. He also composed a song with his cousin's son, Blade Whitehead, for an annual music night.{{Cite book |title=My take on me |last=Harket |first=Morten |publisher=Edel |year=2016}}

Harket has collaborated in live performances and in studio recordings with several artists, among them Pakistani rock band Junoon, on the songs "Piya" and "Pyar Hai Zindagi"; and Hayley Westenra, on "Children First". He has also performed and worked with many other Scandinavian artists, such as Bjørn Eidsvåg, Silje Nergaard, Oslo Gospel Choir, Espen Lind, Elizabeth Norberg-Schulz and Carola Häggkvist.

In 2009, Harket created and performed the main theme of A Name is a Name, a film about Macedonia by Sigurjon Einarsson.{{cite web |url=http://anameisaname.net |title=A name is name |publisher= | website= anameisaname.net| access-date= }}

In addition to numerous A-ha and solo concerts, Harket has also performed on various other shows and concerts both as a solo artist and with A-ha. Some notable ones:

• Harket was the co-presenter of the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo, Norway alongside TV presenter Ingvild Bryn.{{cite web |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/who-is-your-favourite-presenter-from-the-1990s/ |title=Who is your favourite presenter from the 1990s? |date=17 October 2016 |publisher=eurovision.tv |access-date=27 September 2023}}
• Harket and Klaus Meine of the German band Scorpions performed a duet version of the Scorpions' hit song Wind of Change at a Scorpions concert in Athens, Greece, on 11 September 2013 for an MTV Unplugged album.{{cite web |url=http://A-ha.com/news/articles/morten-performs-scorpions-greece/ |title=Morten performs with the Scorpions in Greece. News. The Official Website of a-ha |publisher=a-ha.com |access-date=23 July 2014}}
• Christina Aguilera and Pitbull performed the song "Feel This Moment", which contains sampling of A-ha's "Take On Me", live at the MGM Grand during the 2013 Billboard Music Awards with a surprise appearance from Morten Harket.{{cite web |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/05/19/billboard-music-awards-best-performances/2324589/ |title='Billboard' awards put on one impressive Vegas show |publisher=Usatoday.com |date=20 May 2013 |access-date=23 July 2014}}{{cite web |url=http://popcrush.com/A-ha-morten-harket-pitbull-christina-aguilera-feel-this-moment-at-2013-billboard-music-awards-video/ |title=Pitbull + Christina Aguilera 'Feel This Moment' With A-ha Frontman Morten Harket at 2013 Billboard Music Awards [Video] |publisher=Popcrush.com |date=19 May 2013 |access-date=23 July 2014}}{{cite web |last=Jørstad |first=Atle |url=http://www.vg.no/musikk/artikkel.php?artid=10110452 |title=Harket på scenen med Aguilera og Pitbull – Hollywood – VG |publisher=Vg.no |date=20 May 2013 |access-date=23 July 2014}}
• UNICEF Benefit Concert (2005) – Sang the official UNICEF song "Children First" at the H.C. Andersen jubilee in Copenhagen, Denmark, 2005.{{cite web |url=http://www.hayleywestenra.me/news/ |title=News |publisher=HayleyWestenra.com |access-date=13 April 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20060305002348/http://www.hayleywestenra.com/hayley-westenra-news.htm |archive-date = 5 March 2006}} The song is a duet and was sung with Hayley Westenra.{{Cite news |url=http://www.unicef.org/girlseducation/denmark_25858.html |title=World Premiere of UNICEF song |publisher=UNICEF.org |first=Mario |last=Diaz |date=3 April 2005 |access-date=13 December 2006}}

• He provided vocals to the Jan Bang single "Merciful Waters" which appears on the group's debut 1989 album Frozen Feelings.{{Cite web |url=https://A-hadiscography.com/mharket/othermh.htm |title=Morten Harket – Side Projects |last=Dent |first=Suzie |website=A-hadiscography.com|access-date=10 November 2018}}
• In January 2021, Harket appeared on the second series of the British version of The Masked Singer, masked as the Viking. He became the first contestant on the franchise to perform their own song, when he sang "Take on Me" in episode five. He finished in seventh place.{{cite web |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a35371814/the-masked-singer-uk-double-elimination-viking-blob/ |title=The Masked Singer UK airs dramatic double elimination |author=Dan Sneddon |publisher=Digital Spy |date=30 January 2021 |accessdate=30 January 2021}}

Morten Harket is known for his vocal range, which some sources have claimed spans five octaves.{{Cite book |last=Omdahl |first=Jan |title=The Swing of Things |page=340 |publisher=Oslo Press |year=2004 |isbn=82-7547-181-8}}Keyboard Player magazine, September 2009, issue 340. In regards to his "rumoured five-octave [vocal] range", Harket himself said in 2009: "I've never counted, quite honestly".Original link:

• {{Cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6709027.ece|title=Guest List: The pop singer Morten Harket|last=Potton|first=Ed|date=18 July 2009|work=The Times|access-date=7 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515171235/http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article6709027.ece |archive-date=15 May 2011 |url-status=dead|ref=none}}

New link:

• {{Cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/europe-travel/guest-list-the-pop-singer-morten-harket-xnnjrmh2k3g |title=Guest List: The pop singer Morten Harket |last=Potton |first=Ed |date=18 July 2009 |newspaper=The Times|access-date=29 October 2022 |url-access=subscription|ref=none}}

His voice is capable of "the greatest falsetto in the history of pop music EVER...", according to NME's Sylvia Patterson,{{cite web |last=Patterson |first=Sylvia |title=A-ha : Summer Moved On |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/A-ha/3731 |work=NME |location=UK |publisher=IPC Media |date=12 February 2000|access-date=24 January 2010}} and of an "unyielding groan" as described in Entertainment Weekly.{{Cite magazine |last=Eddy |first=Chuck |title=Music Review: East of the Sun, West of the Moon |url=https://ew.com/article/1991/01/18/east-sun-west-moon/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |publisher=Time Inc. |date=18 January 1991|access-date=24 January 2010}} Sound engineer Gerry Kitchingham, who worked with A-ha on "Take On Me", described Harket as "an excellent singer" with "this incredibly strong falsetto and almost choir-boyish clarity".{{cite news |last=Buskin |first=Richard |title=Classic Tracks: A-ha – Take On Me |url=http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/mar11/articles/classic-tracks-0311.htm|access-date=20 March 2011 |newspaper=Sound On Sound magazine |date=March 2011}}

File:2016-6 Morten Harket.jpg in 2016]]

Harket has three children with his former wife Camilla Malmquist Harket, to whom he was married between 1989 and 1998. He also has a daughter with former girlfriend Anne Mette Undlien and another daughter with Inez Andersson.{{cite book |last1=Omdahl |first1=Jan |title=A-ha The Swing Of Things 1985–2010 |date=2011 |publisher=Press |isbn=978-82-7547-416-0}}

His eldest daughter, Tomine, sings on Alan Walker's song "Darkside".{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-P4QBt-FWw |title=Alan Walker - Darkside (feat. Au/Ra and Tomine Harket) |website= |date=27 July 2018 | via= YouTube}}

Harket’s hobbies include drawing, painting, music and cars. Along with band member Magne Furuholmen, he is a supporter of Stoke City, an English football team.{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/stoke/content/articles/2009/08/18/aha_stoke_city_feature.shtml | title=A-ha are Stoke City fans! }} While maintaining his home in Norway, he also holds residence in London.

{{See also|A-ha discography}}

• 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{{cite web |url= http://www.massiv.no/musikk/morten-harket-stjerne-punktum | title= Morten Harket. Stjerne. Punktum.| interviewer= Magnus S. Rønningen| first= Morten |last= Harket| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090626065626/http://massiv.no/musikk/morten-harket-stjerne-punktum |archivedate=26 June 2009 |language= no| website= massiv.no| date= June 2009| access-date= }} as Yussuf
• 2010 The Armstrong & Miller Show as himself (cameo appearance){{cite web |title= Armstrong & Miller Show was far from sketchy| author= Metrowebukmetro| url= https://metro.co.uk/2010/10/31/armstrong-miller-show-tv-review-567864/| work= metro.co.uk| publisher= Associated Newspapers Limited |date= 31 October 2010 | access-date= 1 November 2022}}
• 2021 The Masked Singer – as Viking

{{See also|List of Morten Harket awards|List of a-ha awards}}

• List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category}}

• [http://www.morten-harket.com Fan site]
• [https://www.myspace.com/harketmorten Morten's official Myspace]
• [http://www.A-ha.com A-ha's official site]
• [http://www.mortenharket-fr.com/ English/French site dedicated to Morten Harket]

{{S-start}}

{{Succession box|

| before={{flagicon|Ireland}} Mary Kennedy

| title=Eurovision Song Contest presenter

| years=(with Ingvild Bryn)
1996

| after={{flagicon|Ireland}} Ronan Keating & Carrie Crowley

}}

{{s-end}}

{{A-ha}}

{{Morten Harket}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harket, Morten}}

Category:1959 births

Category:Living people

Category:A-ha members

Category:Norwegian expatriates in the United Kingdom

Category:Norwegian male singers

Category:Norwegian pop singers

Category:Musicians from Kongsberg

Category:Musicians from Asker

Category:21st-century Norwegian multi-instrumentalists

Category:English-language singers from Norway

Category:Spellemannprisen winners

Category:Norwegian new wave musicians

Category:Synth-pop new wave musicians

Category:Male new wave singers