Oliver Tree's videos reveal star's final days before tragic helicopter crash that killed him and five others
Thomas Bamford
Featured Image Credit: iae.break/instagram
Internet star and singer Oliver Tree has died at the age of 32 after two helicopters collided mid-air above an electric car dealership in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday morning.
Tree, who had amassed 2.6 million Instagram followers and collaborated with YouTube giant KSI, was on a week's break from his 'Love You Madly, Hate You Badly World's First' world tour when the tragedy occurred. He had performed in São Paulo on June 6 before spending time exploring Brazil with local creators.
Five others were killed alongside Tree in the crash, Argentinian YouTuber Gaspar Prim (known as Gaspi), Lucas Vignale, Lucas Brito Chaves, and pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac.
Photos from the scene showed aircraft and vehicles on the ground engulfed in flames, with officials scouring through wreckage to determine the cause.
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In the days before his death, Tree had shared a series of videos capturing what appeared to be an unforgettable trip. On Tuesday, he posted footage of himself comparing dance moves with Brazilian content creator Akihito, an exchange he described as "absolute cinema."
On Saturday, a clip surfaced alongside YouTube star Iae Break, showing the pair playing football, cooking, and posing with a replica of the FIFA World Cup trophy. In a separate post, Tree was filmed singing and dancing with content creator Lucas Vinícius, captioning it: "Brazilian rock is a million times better than American rock."
Following news of his death, both creators paid tribute on social media. Vinícius described their "brief encounter" as a lesson in what it means to "be intense and respect our inherent desire to connect without constraints," adding: "The comfort will be knowing that I, and anyone fortunate enough to have our paths intertwined with yours, inevitably carry with us and preserve a part of a free and enviable spirit that was put to rest far too soon."
KSI was among the most prominent voices in an outpouring of grief from fans and fellow creators, writing on social media: "Can't believe I'm actually having to type this. You're 32 man.
"You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make. So much content to make. You're a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn't feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you bro."
Among the most emotional responses came from Tree's ex-girlfriend Melanie Martinez, who wrote on her Instagram Stories: "Been an absolute wreck today. 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 so deeply. His laugh was so contagious and warm. He had such a soft heart and was a true artist in every way."
Singer Bebe Rexha, who had recorded a track with Tree for her upcoming album Dirty Blonde, shared her shock online: "I'm in shock. I was in the middle of my CD signing in NYC when I found the news of Oliver Tree. I can't believe it. He was so smart. Passionate. Talented. Kind. I'm so sad. May he rest in peace."
T-Pain shared a video of Tree offering a lesson on making music for yourself rather than chasing outside approval, writing: "Never will forget this lesson from Oliver or the time we had on @NBRadioPodcast. Thanks for sharing your art and for always being different in the best way possible. See you on the brighter side."
Tree was only weeks into his ambitious World's First World Tour at the time of his death, which was set to see him perform on all seven continents.