Popular Singer Oliver Tree Killed in Helicopter Collision
American singer Oliver Tree reportedly died with several others following a crash Sunday in which two helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro.
Rio de Janeiro’s Military Fire Department said one of the copters slammed into a car dealership after the collision, hitting several electric vehicles and starting a fire, according to The Hill.
A total of six people were killed in the wreck. Tree, 32, was on a list of passengers that was provided to local authorities after the incident.
The bodies were initially reported to be unidentified.
CNN Brazil, however, reported that law enforcement confirmed his death. The outlet also identified the other victims as pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac, music producer Lucas Brito Chaves Frota, director Lucas Vignale, and YouTuber Gaspar Prim.
Tree, a California native who was born Oliver Tree Nickell, was also a director and record producer, known for hit songs like “Miss You” and “Life Goes On.”
Both videos have racked up hundreds of millions of views on YouTube, with “Miss You” hitting 385 million, and “Life Goes On” surpassing 470 million as of Monday morning.
He was known for his flair and colorful clothing style, which he incorporated into his music videos, a vast majority of which he also directed.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that Tree found fame in the 2010s thanks to Vine, a social media platform that pioneered “shorts,” now seen on TikTok and YouTube.
The outlet also said that Tree released four studio albums, including “Love You Madly, Hate You Badly” in April.
In addition, he is celebrated for setting a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest kick scooter in 2020.
Tree was slated to play at a number of upcoming shows, including his next performance in Lisbon, Portugal, on July 1.
He had performed in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on June 4 and put out a video through his Instagram account Saturday, showing him playing soccer in a Brazilian neighborhood, The Associated Press reported.
Fernandes de Freitas, a tire repair worker, said he saw one of the helicopters on fire following the crash, adding that one of the passengers tried to jump out to escape the flames before the aircraft hit the ground.
“It was terrifying, absolutely horrifying,” De Freitas said.
Officials have launched an investigation and are currently attempting to determine what caused the crash.
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