Oliver Tree Dead At 32, Following Helicopter Crash In Brazil

American singer-songwriter and internet personality Oliver Tree has tragically passed away at the age of 32. Local authorities and civil police in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, confirmed that Tree was among six people killed in a mid-air helicopter collision on Sunday morning, 14 June.
The collision occurred at approximately 9:00 am local time over the beachside neighbourhood of Recreio dos Bandeirantes, located in Rio’s western zone. Two helicopters collided mid-flight, with one of the aircraft crashing into the parking lot of a commercial car dealership. The impact triggered a major fire that burned through roughly 20 electric vehicles before being contained by the Rio de Janeiro Military Fire Department.

Emergency services confirmed that there were no survivors from either aircraft. Tree was travelling in an AS350 helicopter alongside four other individuals: Argentine YouTuber Gaspar ‘Gaspi’ Prim, filmmaker Lucas Vignale, Brazilian music producer Lucas Frota, and the pilot, Alexandre Souza. The sole occupant of the second aircraft, a Bell 206 pilot identified as Charles Marsillac, also perished in the accident. The cause of the collision remains under investigation, though local authorities indicated that initial findings point toward human error.
Born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California, the artist grew a massive global following by blurring the lines between alternative pop music, comedy, and performance art. Instantly recognisable by his signature bowl cut, oversized retro outfits, and multi-coloured windbreakers, Tree became a viral sensation across social media platforms like TikTok.

He first gained attention in his late teens, earning early praise from Radiohead’s Thom Yorke for a viral cover of ‘Karma Police’. After signing with Atlantic Records, his career skyrocketed with hit singles like ‘Alien Boy’, ‘Miss You’, and ‘Life Goes On’, the latter generating millions of video creations worldwide. Over his career, he released four studio albums, including Ugly Is Beautiful (2020), Cowboy Tears (2022), Alone in a Crowd (2023), and Love You Madly Hate You Badly (2026).

The tragedy occurred just over a week after Tree completed the South American leg of ‘The World’s First World Tour’ in São Paulo on 6 June. He had spent the days following the show exploring Brazil, sharing his final Instagram video of himself playing soccer in a local neighbourhood just a day prior to the crash.

The 70-date tour was scheduled to resume in Lisbon, Portugal, on 1 July, before heading to Australia and New Zealand this October for highly anticipated headline dates in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney. Acting Rio Governor Ricardo Couto expressed his condolences in a statement on Sunday, saying, “In this moment of pain, I express my solidarity with the family and friends of the victims of the tragedy.”