Fans are mourning the loss of singer and YouTuber Oliver Tree after reports identified him as one of six people who passed away in a devastating helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 14.
The 32-year-old musician, best known for hits including Life Goes On and Miss You, was reportedly traveling in one of two helicopters involved in a mid-air collision on Sunday.
Highlights
- Singer and YouTuber Oliver Tree was reportedly among six people who lost their lives after two helicopters collided mid-air over Rio de Janeiro.
- Less than 24 hours before the crash, Tree shared cheerful videos from Brazil.
- Tributes poured in from around the world, with KSI calling the loss “unreal”.
As news of the crash spread, fans flooded social media with tributes.
“We lost a real one. He was planning to see him in Cleveland,” one fan wrote.
Authorities revealed that two helicopters had collided before crashing into a parking lot in Brazil
Image credits: olivertree/TikTok
According to reports, the crash happened in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes area of Rio de Janeiro.
Officials said two helicopters collided in mid-air before plunging into the parking lot of an electric vehicle dealership.
The impact sparked a large fire that engulfed at least 20 vehicles.
Images and videos from the scene showed mangled aircraft wreckage scattered among burned-out cars as thick black smoke rose into the sky.
Firefighters confirmed that six people lost their lives. The reports also revealed that all six victims were aboard the helicopters involved in the collision.
Image credits: www.tiktok.com
Among those identified were Tree, Argentine YouTuber Gasper Prim, filmmaker Lucas Vignale, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves, and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras, a spokesperson for the fire service, said investigators were still working to determine exactly what happened.
“Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of meters away, so the information we have is still very preliminary,” he told CNN Brazil.
“We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened.”
According to Contreiras, one helicopter crashed among the electric vehicles and caught fire, while the second aircraft came down roughly 330 feet away.
He noted that the crash site's location may have prevented an even greater tragedy.
“Given the surrounding residences, the accident could have been far more tragic,” he said.
Image credits: Gaspi/YouTube
As footage from the crash circulated online, many people questioned the reports
“Does anyone have any proof that this video is real?” one person asked, while another said, “These images are fakes.”
Others focused on the unusual nature of the accident.
“Damn, how the hell can a helicopter crash into another one? What a madness, you couldn't even see one of those coming at you.”
“Two helicopters crashing can't happen. One of them must have made a huge blunder,” another person wrote.
Many fans simply expressed heartbreak.
Image credits: Swiim/YouTube
“How sad that it was, may God have him,” one commenter wrote, while another added, “Rest easy.. horrible.”
“Sending love, prayers, and heartfelt condolences to everyone affected by this tragic accident. May those who lost their lives rest in peace,” one more person added.
Some also worried about people on the ground.
“Were there other victims? Because he fell right in the middle of the city. I hope everyone is okay, and I wish a lot of strength and comfort to the victim's family at this difficult time.”
“Life is so short. Enjoy everything. Travel, eat, love, and share.”
Besides fans, fellow creators and friends also paid tribute to Oliver Tree
Image credits: batata_que_voa/X
Less than 24 hours before the crash, Tree had shared a video from Rio de Janeiro on Instagram alongside Brazilian creator Iae Break.
He captioned the post, “American for the 1st time in Brazil.”
After news of the crash emerged, Break shared photos with the singer and wrote in Portuguese:
“I can't believe you guys are gone.”
Tributes also poured in from across the online entertainment world.
Image credits: Noticias Caracol/YouTube
Among the most emotional was a message from YouTuber and musician KSI.
“Can’t believe I’m actually having to type this. You’re 32, man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make,” he wrote.
“So much content to make. You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you, bro.”
His post included several photos of the pair together over the years.
Oliver Tree built a career unlike almost anyone else in the music industry
Image credits: Noticias Caracol/YouTube
Born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California, the singer became known for combining music, comedy, internet culture, and elaborate characters throughout his career.
He first gained widespread attention after his song When I’m Down went viral, leading to a record deal with Atlantic Records in 2017.
His debut studio album, Ugly Is Beautiful, was released in 2020 and helped establish him as one of the internet’s most recognizable alternative artists.
Over the following years, he released Cowboy Tears (2022), Alone in a Crowd (2023), and Love You Madly Hate You Badly in April 2026.
Image credits: olivertree/TikTok
His songs Life Goes On and Miss You became global hits, while his music videos accumulated more than one billion combined views on YouTube.
Life Goes On alone earned more than 464 million views, while Miss You surpassed 382 million views.
Outside of music, Tree was also known for directing many of his own videos, creating viral internet content, and setting a Guinness World Record for the world's largest kick scooter in 2020.
Image credits: olivertree/TikTok
At the time of his passing, he had recently launched what he called The World's First World Tour, a global trek spanning seven continents and more than 70 shows across 30 countries.
The tour had begun just weeks earlier, making the loss even more difficult for fans who were looking forward to seeing him perform.
"What are the chances?", fans left stunned after helicopters crash into each other
