Oliver Tree Dies at 32 in Brazil Helicopter Collision

American singer, director, and music producer Oliver Tree died at age 32 in a helicopter collision in Brazil. According to AP and CNN Brazil, the crash happened in the southwest part of Rio de Janeiro state, where two helicopters collided in the air for reasons that have not yet been explained. Six people were killed in the crash, and local reports said Argentine YouTuber Gaspi was also among the dead.

Tree was born on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California. He began his music career in 2013 with the independent release of his first album, "Splitting Branches," under the shortened stage name "Tree." His breakthrough came in 2016 through the short-video platform Vine, when he adopted his best-known alter ego, Turbo, an eccentric character with a bob haircut, colorful oversized clothes, and a constant scooter.

That same year, he released the single "When I'm Down," which became a commercial success and led to his signing with Atlantic Records in 2017. Throughout his career, Tree frequently changed characters and alter egos, while promoting his work through heavy use of internet memes and planned online provocation.

Among his best-known songs are "Cash Machine," "Alien Boy," "Hurt," "Jerk," "Life Goes On," and "Miss You." The video for "Life Goes On" has more than 464 million views, while "Miss You" has surpassed 382 million. In 2020, Tree entered the Guinness World Records after designing and building the world's largest scooter.