Oliver Tree Dead at 32: What We Know About the Rio Helicopter Crash That Killed Six

American singer and comedian Oliver Tree was killed Sunday when two helicopters collided in mid-air over Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — news that has stunned fans and fellow artists, arriving just months after Tree had been publicly fighting to get his latest album released at all.

The Crash

Officials said the collision happened over the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood in Rio’s western zone, with one helicopter crashing into a car dealership’s parking lot and igniting a fire among several electric vehicles. A witness described seeing one of the helicopters in flames and noticed a passenger jump from the other aircraft before it hit the ground. Police said Tree was on the passenger manifest but had not yet been able to identify the bodies recovered from the wreckage, and an investigation into the cause is ongoing.

Who Else Was Lost

Also killed was 23-year-old Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim Díaz, known online as Gaspi, who had built an audience of more than 2.8 million YouTube subscribers. Tree had recently performed in São Paulo on June 6 as part of an ongoing tour, and had posted an Instagram video just a day before the crash showing him playing soccer in a local neighborhood.

Who Oliver Tree Was

Born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California, he built his career by fusing music with absurdist comedy and elaborate alter-egos, landing viral hits with “Life Goes On,” “Alien Boy” and “Miss You,” and releasing albums including Ugly Is Beautiful and Cowboy Tears.

Tributes From the Industry

Rapper bbno$ called Tree an inspiration and said his heart was shattered by the news. Comedian Whitney Cummings described him as “pure love” and the best version of what an artist and person could be, writing that “we lost a giant.” British creator KSI wrote that at 32, Tree “should still be here,” with “so much music to make.”

His Final Professional Fight

The crash also closes out a turbulent chapter in Tree’s career. In April, he told fans his new album, Love You Madly, Hate You Badly, had been shelved by Atlantic Records, describing the experience as devastating and saying the label had stopped backing his work because he wasn’t making music for TikTok. After negotiations, the album was ultimately released on April 24 through his own label, Alien Boy Records — ending an eight-year relationship with Atlantic on his own terms.

Looking Ahead

That self-released album now stands as Tree’s final studio work, one that fans and collaborators are likely to revisit with new weight in the days ahead.

FAQ

Who else died in the crash? Five others, including both pilots and YouTuber Gaspi.

What was Oliver Tree’s last album? Love You Madly, Hate You Badly, released April 24, 2026, on his own label.