The body of singer Oliver Tree returned to California after a tragic helicopter crash above Rio de Janeiro that occurred a week ago. His return was confirmed by his social media accounts on Sunday. The tragic incident involved a collision of two helicopters on June 14, resulting in the deaths of all six individuals on board. A message shared on social media read, “Oliver is now back in California where he can finally rest.”
The Associated Press reported that the other individuals involved in the crash were identified as Gaspar Prim Díaz, an Argentine YouTuber; Lucas Vignale, also Argentine; and Brazilians Lucas Brito, Charles Marsillac, and Alexandre Souza. Investigators are looking into the possibility of human error by either a pilot or air traffic controllers as the cause of the accident.
Oliver Tree, aged 32, had been touring in South America as part of a world tour, with a show planned for June 6 in São Paulo. The site of the helicopter collision was in the Recreio dos Bandeirantes neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro.
The social media statement thanked fans and supporters for their overwhelming devotion to Oliver Tree, described as a quirky and uplifting artist. “The constant love, support, and positivity is helping the family, friends, and collaborators make it through these extremely difficult times,” the statement said.
Tree, whose real name was Oliver Tree Nickell, hailed from Santa Cruz. Jesse Nickell, his father, was informed of his son’s death by a music producer who collaborated with Tree in Brazil. Tree was known for his distinct fashion sense, featuring bright clothing, a mullet haircut, and a thin mustache. His Instagram motto, “No matter how strange you think you look, no matter how ugly you feel, you are beautiful,” summed up his encouraging outlook.
Oliver Tree collaborated with well-known names in pop and electronic dance music. Two of his most popular tracks were “Life Goes On,” which reached number 71 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2022, and “Miss You,” a collaboration with German musician Robin Schulz that peaked at number 84 the same year.
Beyond his music, Oliver Tree had been working on an endowment to produce a grant, as announced in the social media post. Entitled “Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant For Baby Geniuses,” the grant aimed to spread more joy, love, and art into the world, which was his final wish. Tree had spoken about this initiative on the “Zack Sang Show” on YouTube, mentioning how artists often gain appreciation posthumously. “Your legacy will live on forever,” concluded the Instagram statement.