Oliver Tree, ‘Life Goes On’ and ‘Miss You’ Singer, Dies in Helicopter Crash
The musician was reportedly among six people killed in a helicopter collision over Rio de Janeiro.
Oliver Tree performs during the Exit Festival 2024 at Petrovaradin Fortress on July 11, 2024 in Novi Sad, Serbia.
Oliver Tree has reportedly died following a helicopter crash in Brazil. He was 32.
The genre-blending singer, songwriter and producer was among six people killed when two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday (June 14), according to CNN Brazil and the Associated Press.
Tree, whose full name was Oliver Tree Nickell, was traveling through South America as part of his World’s First World Tour.
The other victims were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
The collision reportedly occurred in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro’s western zone. Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash.
Billboard has reached out to Tree’s representatives for comment.
The California-born artist released his fourth studio album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, in April. Known for his signature bowl haircut and eccentric persona, Tree performed in São Paulo on June 6 and was scheduled to play Lisbon, Portugal, in early July. Additional tour dates were planned across the United States, Europe, Australia and China.
Born on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California, Tree launched his music career with the EP, Demons, in 2013. He gained wider attention with the 2016 single “When I’m Down,” which helped lead to a deal with Atlantic Records the following year.
Tree released four studio albums through Atlantic: 2020’s Ugly Is Beautiful, 2022’s Cowboy Tears, 2023’s Alone in a Crowd and 2026’s Love You Madly Hate You Badly. Before signing with the label, he independently released the album Splitting Branches under the moniker Tree in 2013.
Among his biggest hits, “Life Goes On” reached No. 7 on Billboard‘s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart in 2022. His debut major-label album, Ugly Is Beautiful, topped Billboard‘s Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart in 2020. And “Miss You,” his collaboration with Robin Schulz, climbed to No. 4 on the Hot Dance/Electronic Songs chart in 2022.
