Oliver Tree has died in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The 32-year-old singer, who has had hit albums like Life Goes On, Miss You and Alien Boy, was one of six people killed in the horrific accident on June 14. Police are now looking for the cause of the crash.
Two helicopters collided mid-air over the Recreio dos Bandeirantes area in Rio de Janeiro’s western zone, local reports said. One of the helicopters crashed into a parking area where electric vehicles were parked, and an explosion erupted, smothering multiple cars. Emergency workers rushed to respond, but nobody survived in either aircraft.
Brazilian authorities said six people died in the accident: Oliver Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, video director Lucas Vignale, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves and two pilots. Initial accounts of the accident used passenger manifests, but several media reported that authorities had identified the victims as part of the investigation.
Oliver Tree Nickell, born in 1993 in California, became famous through his combination of alternative pop, electronic music and Internet culture. His bowl-cut hairstyle, oversized outfits and cheeky personality instantly made him recognisable with fans throughout the world. In all his years of working, he has established a large following on streaming platforms and social media and has become one of the most unconventional and successful artists of the generation.
Oliver Tree’s music career was a lot of viral success. He has hundreds of millions of streams worldwide on songs like Life Goes On, Miss You, Alien Boy, Hurt and Cash Machine, and his first studio album, Ugly Is Beautiful, cemented him as an international artist, and more recent projects have expanded his fan base in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Acabo de encontrar el video de como fue el accidente de Oliver Tree y Gaspi que pena... pic.twitter.com/cO7XdbiFZQ
— Global trends (@Monkeytradersd) June 14, 2026
In the last few months, Tree had been going around the world and had performed in a few countries before he arrived in Brazil. According to reports, he had already performed in São Paulo and was still in Brazil on tour.
Following the crash, tributes poured in from fans, fellow musicians and entertainment personalities all over the world. Social media platforms were flooded with messages celebrating his creativity, humour, and musical contributions. Many fans recalled how they felt when they heard his music on viral videos and streaming sites, and how he had influenced modern pop culture so much.
But Brazilian aviation authorities and law enforcement agencies have launched a formal investigation of the collision. Flight records, aircraft conditions and other factors are being examined to figure out what caused the two helicopters to collide.
Oliver Tree’s tragic death is a great loss to music. The singer has been a pioneer in his own right, and his artistry is a gift to us, and that is why he is so loved today.
