Who Was Oliver Tree? Inside the Singer-Songwriter Killed in a Helicopter Crash in Brazil
Oliver Tree died on Sunday, June 14, in a helicopter crash in Brazil at age 32. Reports said he was among six people killed when one helicopter carrying five people collided mid-air with another helicopter carrying a single passenger. The crash happened while the aircraft were flying over an electric vehicle yard, where the impact sparked fires that spread to at least 20 cars.
The other victims were identified as passengers Lucas Vignale, Gaspar Prim, also known as Argentine YouTuber Gaspi, Lucas Brito Chaves, and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac. The collision drew widespread attention because of the number of fatalities and the damage caused on the ground.
Tree had been in Brazil as part of his world tour, “The World’s First World Tour.” He had recently completed a June 6 performance in Sao Paulo and was scheduled to resume the tour in Lisbon on July 13. His death came during a busy period in his career, as he had just released a new album in April 2026 titled “Love You Madly Hate You Badly.”
Born in Santa Cruz, California, Tree first gained attention in 2010 at age 17. He later built a music career working with major artists including Skrillex and Zeds Dead. After releasing an independent album in 2013, he stepped away from music for several years to study music technology before returning with his first studio album, “Ugly Is Beautiful,” in 2020. That album included the platinum single “Life Goes On.” He later followed it with “Cowboy Tears,” “Alone in a Crowd,” and his final album before his death.
After news of the crash, several artists and public figures paid tribute. Bebe Rexha wrote that she was shocked by the news and remembered Tree as smart, passionate, talented, and kind. Whitney Cummings also posted a message calling him one of the most talented people she had known and saying his death was a major loss.
Tree had previously dated singer Melanie Martinez from 2019 to 2020. Although their relationship ended, the two appeared to remain on good terms. In 2024, Tree discussed the breakup in a YouTube video and said he had faced online backlash from Martinez’s fans. After his death, Martinez shared a tribute on Instagram Stories, saying she was devastated and remembering his contagious laugh and dedication to art.
In earlier interviews, Tree said he had explored polyamory after his breakup and explained that his touring lifestyle made relationships difficult. In one of his final interviews, he also said he wanted the money generated by his music to go back to artists through a foundation he had created. He said his family would not inherit his fortune, and that his goal was to support future creators after his death.
