Viral musician Oliver Tree killed in helicopter crash

California musician Oliver Tree died in a helicopter crash near Rio de Janeiro. He was 32 years old. According to the Brazilian media outlet O Dia, two helicopters collided while flying over the city’s Recreio dos Bandeirantes zone Sunday morning. All six passengers, including Tree (five in one plane, one pilot in the other), were killed. Reports have alleged that Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim and Brazilian artist Lucas Frota were among the souls on board. After the mid-air collision, the helicopters landed in an electric car dealership parking lot, engulfing nearly two dozen cars in flames. 

Tree, born Oliver Tree Nickell on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, found virality on Vine in 2016 thanks to his “Turbo” alter ego. From there, he honed his image: oversized, colorful ‘80s outfits and a recognizable bowl haircut. His hit song “When I’m Down” earned him a record deal with Atlantic in 2017 and, in the ensuing years, he became well-known for his various internet stunts and public trolling, including setting the Guinness World Record for the world’s largest kick scooter in 2020. After a brief retirement, Tree shared three of his most popular singles between 2021 and 2022: “Cowboys Don’t Cry,” “Life Goes On,” and “Miss You” (the latter two assisted by Robin Schulz). At this year’s Coachella festival, Subtronics brought Tree out as a special guest during his set. Tree was in South America this weekend for the start of his first headline world tour and recently shared his fourth studio album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, on April 24. At the time of his death, his monthly Spotify streams exceeded 10 million.

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