American singer, songwriter and multimedia artist Oliver Tree has died aged 32 after a mid-air helicopter collision in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His death brings an abrupt end to a career that blended alternative pop, hip-hop, comedy and visual performance, and has resulted in the unexpected cancellation of his scheduled Australian and New Zealand tour dates for October.
by Paul Cashmere
Oliver Tree, the American artist known for hits including When I’m Down, Life Goes On, Miss You and Alien Boy, has died following a helicopter collision over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday, June 14. He was 32. Brazilian authorities confirmed six people were killed when two helicopters collided in mid-air above the Recreio dos Bandeirantes district in the city’s southwest. There were no survivors.
Brazil’s Civil Police identified Tree among those aboard the aircraft, alongside Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim, known to millions of followers online as Gaspi, as well as passengers Lucas Brito Chaves and Lucas Vignale, and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac. Brazilian authorities have launched a formal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the crash.
The accident occurred at approximately 9:00am local time. One helicopter reportedly crashed onto land occupied by Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD, igniting a fire that spread to around 20 parked vehicles. The second helicopter came down about 100 metres away. Fire crews deployed dozens of personnel and vehicles to contain the blaze and secure the area.
The loss of Tree marks one of the most significant deaths in contemporary alternative pop this year. Over the past decade he built an international following through a combination of unconventional visual branding, self-directed videos, comedy content and genre-crossing music that drew from alternative rock, indie pop, electronic music and hip-hop.
Born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California, on June 29, 1993, he first emerged under the name Tree before signing with Atlantic Records in 2017. His breakthrough came after the viral success of When I’m Down, leading to the release of the Alien Boy EP and later his debut album Ugly Is Beautiful in 2020.
Ugly Is Beautiful became his commercial breakthrough, reaching the top of Billboard’s Alternative and Rock album charts. Subsequent releases included Cowboy Tears in 2022 and Alone In A Crowd in 2023. His catalogue expanded further this year with the independently released Love You Madly Hate You Badly, his first album after departing Atlantic Records and releasing music through his own Alien Boy Records label.
Tree’s rise coincided with a generation of artists who blurred distinctions between musician, filmmaker, comedian and internet personality. His videos often featured elaborate stunts, surreal humour and a deliberately exaggerated public persona. While some critics questioned whether the character sometimes overshadowed the music, his audience embraced both elements, helping songs such as Life Goes On and Miss You accumulate billions of streams across platforms.
At the time of his death, Tree was undertaking what he described as “The World’s First World Tour”, an ambitious itinerary spanning more than 70 shows across 30 countries. The tour had launched in Mexico City on May 30 and included a performance in São Paulo on June 6. He had been expected to continue to Europe before heading to Australia and New Zealand in October.
The tragedy also claimed the life of Gaspar Prim, a 23-year-old Argentine creator who had built an audience of approximately 2.8 million YouTube subscribers through comedy, street interviews and prank content. Argentine media outlets and collaborators paid tribute following confirmation of his death.
Investigators from Brazil’s Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Centre, known as Cenipa, have begun examining the collision. Officials have not yet determined what caused the two helicopters to come into contact. Early witness accounts described seeing one aircraft engulfed in flames before both crashed to the ground. Authorities have cautioned that the investigation remains in its preliminary stages.
The attention now turns to Tree’s musical legacy and the future of his catalogue. His most recent album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, was released less than two months before his death. What was intended to be a global victory lap for a newly independent artist has instead become the final chapter of a career that combined commercial success with a highly individual creative vision.
The cancellation of the remaining world tour dates is expected to be confirmed by promoters and management in the coming days, including the Australian and New Zealand shows scheduled for October.
Dates were:
2 October, Brisbane, Fortitude Music Hall
3 October, Melbourne, Forum Melbourne
6 October, Auckland, Auckland Town Hall
7 October, Sydney, Enmore Theatre
8 October, Adelaide, Hindley Street Music Hall
10 October, Perth, Metro City
Ticket holders should await information from official ticketing agencies and promoters regarding refunds and further details.
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