Musician and internet personality Oliver Tree has died at 32.
As reported by CNN Brazil, which cites confirmation from the Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro, the singer best known for hits like “Life Goes On” and “Miss You” was killed along with five other individuals after two helicopters crashed in Southwest Rio de Janeiro today (via TMZ). The cause of the crash is currently unclear.
In one helicopter was pilot Alexandre Souza, with Tree, Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim a.k.a. Gaspi, Lucas Vignale, Lucas Brito Chaves on board as passengers. The other helicopter only had pilot Charles Marsillac aboard.
Whether you spend time on YouTube, keep up with the latest TikTok trends, or tune in to see what music everyone’s listening to, there’s a good chance you’ve at least seen Tree cross your social media feed in recent years. He began his career simply as “Tree” in the early 2010s and eventually went on to collaborate with artists like Skrillex and Zeds Dead.
Although he started to refine his online Oliver Tree persona with singles like “All I Got,” “Welcome to LA,” and “Cheapskate” in 2017, Tree really carved out a space for himself with the release of his first studio album, Ugly is Beautiful. While his instantly recognizable bowl cut hair and colorful style made him hard to forget, catchy tunes like “Me, Myself & I” and “1993” proved he deserved to be in listeners’ ears.
His YouTube channel currently boasts 6.85 million subscribers, with his top release, a music video for “Life Goes On,” sitting at 465 million views. Tree was weeks away from embarking on an additional string of shows as part of a tour, starting with a July 1 performance in Lisbon. His latest record, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, was released April 24, 2026.
Tree’s sense of humor and personality helped him build a circle of collaborators and friends that reached far beyond the music industry. Many have already taken to social media to share fond and funny memories with him following his death.
“Rest easy oliver you will always be an inspiration,” musician and content creator bbno$ said in a post. “Thank you for sharing your creativity and brilliance with the world. My heart is shattered right now. Hold your friends and family close.”
“Everything he touched was better for it,” H3H3 creator Ethan Klein said. “Every person he met was more whole for it. As a person, I’ve lost a dear friend and collaborator. But the real tragedy is that the world lost a true artist, a passionate and gifted story teller, and a radiant light that shined upon so many of us. His light is now extinguished and my life, and the world, is darker for it.”
“F**k man. Spoke to Oliver a few weeks ago,” artist Kid Cudi said. “This is heartbreaking. A really amazing and beautiful human. This s**t sucks bad. Sending all my prayers and love to the families dealing with losses. Oliver we love you, forever.”
Photo by Barry Brecheisen/WireImage.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
