Singer-songwriter Oliver Tree has died in a tragic helicopter crash in Brazil. He was 32.
Tree was one of six people killed after the helicopter he was in collided with another helicopter in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, in southwest Rio de Janeiro, on Sunday morning, according to CNN Brazil.
Born Oliver Tree Nickell on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California, he rose to fame in 2016 as a Vine star, known for his wild alter ego Turbo, who sported a signature bowl cut and baggy 1980s clothing. That same year, he released his first hit song, When I'm Down, before signing with Atlantic Records in 2017.
Tree released four studio albums with Atlantic: Ugly Is Beautiful in 2020, Cowboy Tears in 2022, Alone in a Crowd in 2023, and his most recent, Love You Madly, Hate You Badly, which dropped in April. His most notable tracks include Life Goes On and Miss You with Robin Schulz, along with eccentric music videos that earned hundreds of millions of views.
As his popularity grew, Tree became more selective about scheduling gigs. In a December 2023 podcast interview, he said he raised his performance fees significantly, playing only five shows that summer but earning double what he made the previous year. He emphasized that this approach allowed him to travel less and enjoy more leisure time.
Tree performed in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on June 6 as part of his world tour for his latest album. His next show would have been in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 1. Hours before the fatal crash, he shared a glimpse of his Brazilian experience on Instagram, showing himself playing soccer, getting a haircut, and cooking meat.
Among the other victims was Argentinian YouTuber Gaspi, real name Gaspar Prim, known for his comedic content and viral videos. Also identified were Lucas Vignale, Lucas Brito Chaves, and pilot Alexandre Souza. The pilot of the other aircraft, Charles Marsillac, was also killed. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
