Obituaries

Oliver Tree, "Life Goes On" Singer, Dies at 32

June 14, 2026

Oliver Tree, the internet-bolstered singer-producer behind the viral hits "Life Goes On" and "Miss You," died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, according to CNN Brazil. He was 32.

Tree was among six people killed in a mid-air collision involving two helicopters in the southwest neighborhood of Recreio dos Bandeirantes. He’d recently performed in São Paulo as part of the tour supporting his fourth album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly.

Tree’s respective label and publishing company, Atlantic Records and Warner Chappell Music, released a joint statement that read, “We are shocked and saddened by Oliver’s untimely passing. He was a remarkable talent—a gifted artist and songwriter who forged a thoroughly unique and captivating style. Oliver was endlessly inventive and a true original. He was a cherished friend to many and a beloved member of our music family. He profoundly loved music and his fans, and his absence will be deeply felt. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Oliver’s family, friends and team, as well as the families and loved ones of all those affected by this tragic event.”

Tree cultivated a distinctively ironic look, combining retro '80s pastels with a bowl haircut and a knack for attention-getting stunts, such as setting the Guinness World Record for the world's largest kick scooter, which he achieved in 2020.

Initially a dubstep producer, he had his first viral hit as a performer in 2016 with "When I'm Down," which led to a contract with Atlantic. Blending EDM production with pop hooks—a hybrid heard on hits "Alien Boy," "Life Goes On" and "Miss You," the latter a collaboration with Robin Schulz—he developed the quirky style showcased in YouTube clips that could be easily pared into memes and TikTok reels, helping him build a following throughout social media.

Born Oliver Tree Nickell on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California, he launched his musical career in the early 2010s in the San Francisco Bay Area simply as Tree. He released his first EP, Demons, in 2013. It featured a version of Radiohead's "Karma Police" that earned praise from Thom Yorke. He paused his musical career to attend CalArts, returning in 2016 by appearing on Getter's "Forget It." Tree also guested that year on Whethan's single "When I'm Down," which brought him a deal with Atlantic Records. "Welcome to LA," his first track for Atlantic, was credited to Oliver Tree.

In 2018, he promoted his EP Alien Boy with a video for a medley of two album cuts called "All That x Alien Boy," a stunt-laden clip that unveiled his trolling throwback persona. Soon thereafter, Tree performed at Lollapalooza, Outside Lands and Coachella.

He released his debut album, Ugly Is Beautiful, in 2020; an expanded 2021 version featured "Life Goes On," his biggest hit. The following year brought Cowboy Tears, his second album, and "Miss You," a collaboration with Schulz that rivaled "Life Goes On" in popularity. The 2023 album Alone in a Crowd would include “Miss You.” In April 2026, Tree released Love You Madly Hate You Badly and made an appearance at Coachella at the behest of electronic DJ Subtronics.

Along with the pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac, the other victims identified in the crash are Lucas Vignal, Lucas Brito Chaves and Gaspar Prim, a YouTuber from Argentina.