Oliver Tree, ‘Alien Boy’ and ‘Life Goes On’ Musician, Dies at 32 in Helicopter Crash

Oliver Tree, the California-born singer-songwriter known for tracks like “Life Goes On,” “When I’m Down” and “Miss You,” died in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, according to CNN Brazil. He was 32.

CNN Brazil reported that the crash, which happened Sunday morning in the southwest of Rio de Janeiro, involved two helicopters and left six dead, including Tree. As recently as yesterday, Tree was posting content to social media from his time in Brazil. Tree’s reps did not immediately respond to Variety’s request for comment.

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Tree, synonymous with his bowl cut and vibrant ‘80s fashion, spent his early career producing dubstep and performing in the San Francisco Bay Area under the artist name “Tree.” He debuted his first EP, “Demons,” in 2013 under R&S Records.

In 2016, Whethan released “When I’m Down,” a poppy, early fall hit that put Tree on the map with his feature. A month later, he signed with Atlantic Records, through which he released the single “Welcome to LA,” his first under the name Olvier Tree.

The 2018 EP “Alien Boy” saw Tree’s stock rise not only in the electronic music space but also in online culture. His double music video “All That x Alien Boy,” which he wrote and directed, amassed over 50 million views and introduced his retro-oddball aesthetic to a general audience.

Tree built a significant following on social media, particularly on TikTok, where he had amassed 15.4 million followers. His biggest single on the platform, “Life Goes On,” took off in 2021 and has since been used in over 3.7 million videos, while “Miss You,” a dance-oriented track with pitched-up vocals, has been used 1.5 million times.

Tree was in the middle of his headlining world tour for his fourth studio album, “Love You Madly, Hate You Badly,” which was entirely self-produced. The tour kicked off May 30 in Mexico City, and was to include stops in China, Japan, Antarctica, New Zealand and South Africa.

Singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez, who used to date Tree, posted a remembrance for him hours after news broke of his death.

“Been an absolute wreck today,” Martinez wrote on her Instagram Story. “It’s really hard to understand how someone who you once shared such a specific and formative time of your life with can all of a sudden be gone. He was so dedicated to his art which I admired and respected deeply. I think everyone who knew him will look back at those moments of laughter and joy he so easily sparked. His laugh was so contagious and warm. His ability to lead creatively and take action while also maintaining a sense of childlike wonder and awe was so inspiring. He had such a heart and was a true artist in every way.”

She added, “Rest in peace Oliver. I know you’re making the angels giggle. I’ll be here wondering what stunt and creative project you’re scheming up in heaven. All my love.”