Musician Oliver Tree was among the six people who died after two helicopters collided into each other over Rio de Janeiro on June 14, 2026. Oliver Tree, famously recognized by his quintessential bowl cut, has more than 11 million monthly listeners on Spotify.
The singer is known for his hits Life Goes On and Miss You. He was on tour at the time of his death in support of his fourth studio album, titled Love You Madly, Hate You Badly, and had performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4, 2026.
According to Rio de Janeiro officials, the collision reportedly occurred mid-air over the western suburb of Recreio dos Bandeirantes. One of the helicopters crashed into a car dealership that held several electric cars and ignited a fire, which was soon extinguished. It is unclear what caused the crash at the time of this article.
One of the helicopters carried five people, including the pilot Alexandre Souza, Oliver Tree, Lucas Brito Chaves, Lucas Vignale, and Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, also known online as Gaspi. Meanwhile, the other helicopter carried only its pilot, Charles Marsillac. Blender, an Argentine streaming platform, posted that Gaspi was one of the victims who died in the crash, writing on its X account:
“Thanks for your art, your magic and your sensibility, every one of us will miss you.”
Officials have reportedly launched an investigation into the crash to determine its cause. According to AP News, tire repair worker Fernandes de Freitas reportedly saw one of the helicopters combust into flames on collision. He further added that he saw one of the passengers jump out of the helicopter before it crashed into the ground, saying:
“It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying.”
Oliver Tree released four albums
Oliver Tree was born in 1993 in Santa Cruz, California. He began his foray into the music industry under the moniker “Tree” in the early 2010s and released his first EP, titled Demons, under R&S Records in 2013. In 2016, he collaborated with Whethan on When I’m Down, which resulted in his mainstream fame and a recording contract with Atlantic Records.
His 2018 EP Alien Boy was a big hit, and he followed it up by releasing his debut studio album Ugly Is Beautiful in 2020. He discussed the album in brief in an interview with The Odyssey at the time, saying:
“I’ve been working on it for almost 5 years now. I’ve made thousands of songs and this is the fourteen tracks I’ve finally narrowed it down to.”
Oliver Tree released his sophomore album, Cowboy Tears, in 2022, followed by Alone in a Crowd in 2023. In April 2026, he dropped Love You Madly, Hate You Badly. He subsequently announced his headlining tour, titled “The World’s First World Tour,” in support of his fourth studio album.
The tour, with 70+ shows, was set to span over 30 countries and kicked off in Mexico City on May 30. Oliver Tree’s latest show was in São Paulo, Brazil, on June 6. He was scheduled to take a break and continue touring in Europe from July 3 before his untimely death.
Singer Melanie Martinez, who previously dated Oliver Tree, took to her social media to pay tribute to the musician following his death, writing, “Rest in peace Oliver. I know you’re making the angels giggle. I’ll be here wondering what stunt and creative project you’re scheming up in heaven. All my love.”
Edited by Juhi Marzia