Paul Waaktaar-Savoy

It is easy to give all the credit for a-ha to that soaring falsetto, but for me Waaktaar-Savoy is the actual engine of the band, the songwriter and guitarist whose moody, melodic instincts gave their synth-pop genuine depth. Take On Me is iconic, yet his catalog runs far darker and more interesting than that one earworm suggests. His work with Savoy shows an artist who never stopped chasing songcraft over fame. I really respect how he built a quietly serious creative life away from the screaming-fan spotlight, which is rarer than it sounds.

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (born September 6, 1964) is a Norwegian musician, guitarist, and songwriter best known as the primary songwriter and guitarist of the band a-ha. He co-wrote many of the group's biggest hits, including the international smash Take On Me. Outside of a-ha he has pursued side projects such as the band Savoy, formed with his wife.

Name (English)

Paul Waaktaar-Savoy

Name (Japanese)

ポール・ワークター＝サヴォイ

Reading

ぽーる・わーくたー＝さゔぉい

Born

September 6, 1964 (age 61)

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Virgo / Dragon

Origin

Oslo, Norway

Occupation

Composer / Singer / Musician / Guitarist / Pianist

Motto

Private

• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%9D%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%83%AF%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AF%E3%82%BF%E3%83%BC%EF%BC%9D%E3%82%B5%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A9%E3%82%A4

Tags

• Norway native
• Composer
• Singer
• Musician

Last updated

2026-06-02

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.