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Oliver Tree

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Oliver Tree
Tree in 2022
Born
Oliver Tree Nickell

(1993-06-29)June 29, 1993
Santa Cruz, California, U.S.
DiedJune 14, 2026(2026-06-14) (aged 32)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
EducationCalifornia Institute of the Arts (BA)
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • rapper
  • record producer
  • filmmaker
  • comedian
  • internet personality[1]
Years active2010–2026
Works
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • keyboards
  • bass
Labels
Websiteolivertreemusic.com
Signature

Oliver Tree Nickell (June 29, 1993 – June 14, 2026) was an American singer-songwriter and rapper. Born in Santa Cruz, California, Tree signed to Atlantic Records in 2017 after his song "When I'm Down" went viral and released his debut studio album Ugly Is Beautiful in July 2020, which included the RIAA gold and platinum-certified singles "Alien Boy", "Hurt", "Miracle Man" and "Let Me Down". Classified as a "genre-defying musician",[6] he achieved international recognition with his songs "Life Goes On" in 2021 and "Miss You" in 2022.

Tree published his second studio album, Cowboy Tears, in February 2022; his third studio album, Alone in a Crowd, in September 2023; and his fourth studio album, Love You Madly Hate You Badly, in April 2026. Tree died on June 14, 2026, in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The cause of the collision is currently under investigation.

Early life

Oliver Tree Nickell was born on June 29, 1993,[4] in Santa Cruz, California, to Jesse Louis Nickell III and Christine Marie (née Begin).[7] During his early childhood, Tree's parents worked as traveling circus performers. He spent much of his upbringing living in a mobile motor home, traveling extensively with the circus until his family permanently settled in Santa Cruz when he was 12 years old.[8] Exposed to instruments that lined the walls of his family's motor home, Tree began taking piano lessons at age three, started songwriting the following year, and claimed to have written a full album by the age of six.[9]

When Tree was 13, his cousin died from spinal meningitis, causing him to struggle with a drug addiction and briefly work as a dealer, which led to him being kicked out of his home. He later credited music for saving him from his addiction.[10] While in middle school, he picked up the guitar and began singing, joining a local Ska band called Irony, which served as his first experience performing live.[11] During high school, Tree gravitated toward hip-hop and electronic music, performing at music festivals and working as a DJ under the pseudonym Kryph, and later, simply Tree.[12]

Following high school, Tree studied business at San Francisco State University for two years.[13] After a brief pause in his early musical career following the release of his 2013 debut EP Demons, he transferred to the California Institute of the Arts. He graduated from the institution in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music technology.[12][14]

Career

2010–2016: Early career and hiatus

Tree launched his solo recording career as "Tree" in 2010. By then, he had made presentations for performances such as Skrillex and Zeds Dead.[clarification needed] He initially self-released his music, releasing an album called Splitting Branches in early 2013. He sang and played guitar in a ska band called Irony, which was his first experience performing.[15] He would produce dubstep for a brief period of time, as well as perform at music festivals such as Wobbleland 2011 in San Francisco. At that point he mainly released music under the pseudonym "Tree".

In August 2013, Tree signed with London-based R&S Records and released his debut extended play (EP), Demons. The EP gained some recognition after Radiohead lead singer Yorke approved of his cover of their song "Karma Police".[16] Tree eventually found himself on hiatus as he went back to school, studying music technology at the California Institute of the Arts.[13][17]

2016–2018: Return to music and Alien Boy

In March 2016, Tree returned to music, being featured on the song "Forget It" by Getter, a part of his EP, Radical Dude![18] In November of that year, he made his television debut, performing on Last Call with Carson Daly.[19]

Shortly after the release of "When I'm Down" by Whethan featuring Tree in October 2016, Tree signed to Atlantic Records.[20][21] That same year, he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts with a Bachelor of Arts in fine arts.[22] On May 26, 2017, he released "Welcome to LA" as his debut single as Oliver Tree.[20] In February 2018, Tree released his major-label debut EP, Alien Boy, along with the double music video for "All That x Alien Boy". Tree wrote and directed the debut, which took over nine months to create.[23][24] He spent five months practicing freestyle monster truck jumping at the Perris Auto Speedway and performed all his stunts in the music video.[25] Tree played at major festivals including Lollapalooza and Outside Lands Music and Arts Festival, and performed as a special guest at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival where he was subsequently named on LA Weekly's "The Best (and Weirdest) Fashion at Coachella" list in 2017.[23][26]

He was the supporting act on Louis the Child's Last to Leave Tour (2017) and[27] Skizzy Mars' Are You OK? Tour (2018),[28] and was scheduled to join Lil Dicky and DJ Mustard on the Life Lessons Tour Fall 2018 before it was canceled.[23] Tree toured North America and Europe with Hobo Johnson in 2018. Tree also wrote, acted, and directed sketches in comedy videos and worked with companies such as Jerry Media.[29]

2018–2020: Ugly Is Beautiful and singles

Tree performing at the Laneway Festival in February 2020. Tree was best known for his signature bowl cut.[30]

Throughout 2018 and 2019, Tree released singles that made an appearance on his debut studio album, Ugly Is Beautiful. On December 7, 2018, Tree released his second music video, "Hurt", for a single from the album. He traveled to Ukraine to film the video, which he wrote and co-directed with Brendan Vaughan, an up-and-coming music video director.[31] Tree then embarked on the Ugly Is Beautiful Tour, performing songs that would later make an appearance on the album, including "Joke's On You!" and "Waste My Time". On April 11, 2019, Tree released a standalone single, "Fuck", with the music video being released on the same day.[32]

His fourth music video and single, "Miracle Man", was released on June 7, 2019, with the video reaching 1.3 million views on its first day of release, and Tree also announced his farewell tour, titled Goodbye Farewell Tour, which occurred from September to November 2019.[33] Tree released his second EP, Do You Feel Me? on August 2, 2019, which includes the song "Introspective". The EP received generally positive reviews from critics.[34]

On December 6, 2019, Tree released "Cash Machine", a single accompanied by a music video. Together with the single, Tree announced his debut album, Ugly Is Beautiful, and announced that the album would be released on March 27, 2020.[35] On March 25, 2020, Tree tweeted on his Twitter that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ugly Is Beautiful would not be released on time.[36] However, on May 19, the album's official release date was revealed to be June 12.[37] On June 8, 2020, Tree announced his decision to delay Ugly Is Beautiful for a second time, this time to July 17. He stated that, because of the issues of racism and police violence against black people going on during that time after the murder of George Floyd, he "did not believe it was an appropriate time" to release the album when "much bigger things" deserved attention.[38] On July 17, 2020, Ugly Is Beautiful was released.

2021–2022: Deluxe versions of albums, collaborations, and recognition

Despite claiming that he was retired, he released the single "Out of Ordinary" on February 4, 2021, announcing the deluxe edition of Ugly Is Beautiful.[39][40] On May 28, 2021, Tree released a deluxe version of his debut album titled Ugly Is Beautiful: Shorter, Thicker & Uglier, from which the song "Life Goes On" gained notable popularity.[41]

On January 12, 2022, Tree released the single "Cowboys Don't Cry" and the single "Freaks & Geeks" on February 4, both from his second studio album, Cowboy Tears.[42] Cowboy Tears was released on February 18, 2022. On May 20, 2022, Tree released a single, "I Hate You", followed by another single, "Placeholder", on July 15. He would also announce a tour to accompany the album Cowboy Tears.[43]

2023–2026: Alone in a Crowd and Love You Madly Hate You Badly

Tree in 2023

On March 3, 2023, Tree released his first single of 2023, "Here We Go Again", with DJ and record producer David Guetta. He followed up this release with a single titled "Bounce" released on June 20. The same day, he played a show at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre near Morrison, Colorado and announced that this song was the first single released that would be featured on his third studio album, Alone in a Crowd.[44] On July 17, Tree announced that his Alone in a Crowd World Tour would occur from October 2023 to February 2024. He would be scheduled to perform in Australia with American rapper Sueco, Europe and the United Kingdom with Tommy Cash, and the United States with rock band Fidlar. On July 21, he released his second single from the album, "One & Only". He collaborated with upcoming underground dance music group Super Computer for his third single, "Essence", which was released on September 1, 2023. On September 15, a fourth single was released, "Fairweather Friends". Alone in a Crowd was released two weeks later on September 29, 2023.[44] In October 2025, Tree released the single "Superhero" as the lead single to his album Love You Madly Hate You Badly.[45]

On April 9, 2026, it was announced that Love You Madly Hate You Badly would be released on April 24, 2026.[46][47] Tree also announced that he had left Atlantic Records to release the album independently under his own imprint, Alien Boy Records. The album was then released on April 24, 2026.[48] On May 4, 2026, Tree announced "The World's First World Tour" (also referred to as the "Love You Madly Hate You Badly" world tour), an ambitious venture scheduled to span seven continents, encompassing over 70 shows across 30 countries throughout the remainder of the year.[49] The tour commenced on May 30, 2026, in Mexico City, with a final performance in São Paulo on June 6.[50][51]

Personal life and death

Tree and singer-songwriter Melanie Martinez began dating in 2019; the two separated amicably in June 2020.[52] In 2022, he said that he was "exploring polyamory".[52]

In June 2026, Tree was in Brazil for his first world tour, supporting his fourth studio album Love You Madly Hate You Badly; he performed in São Paulo on June 6.[53][54] Tree died along with five others (including the Argentine YouTuber Gaspi and film director Lucas A. Vignale) on June 14, following an aerial collision that occurred at Recreio dos Bandeirantes in Rio de Janeiro.[55][56] As of June 15, 2026, the cause of the accident is still under investigation.[1][57]

Discography

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2019 The Late Late Show with James Corden Himself [58]
2020 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert [59]
2022 Jimmy Kimmel Live! [60]
2023 Royal Crackers Zane [citation needed]
2025 Paul American Himself Episode: "Episode 3"[citation needed]

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2025 Paradise Records Bobby [61]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Result Ref(s)
2020 Guinness World Record Largest Kick Scooter Won [62]
2022 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Social Music Star Nominated [63]
Berlin Music Video Awards Most Trashy Nominated [64]
2023 Kids' Choice Awards Favorite Social Music Star Nominated [65]
Berlin Music Video Awards Most Trashy Nominated [66]

Notes

References

  1. 1 2 "Musician Oliver Tree, 32, killed in helicopter crash in Brazil". The Guardian. June 14, 2026. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  2. ↑ Xu, Vivian (February 20, 2022). "Concert review: Oliver Tree's over-the-top antics distract from music at Shrine Expo Hall show". Daily Bruin. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  3. ↑ Santiago, Elliot (February 10, 2021). "Lil Yachty and Oliver Tree Drop Music Video for "Asshole"". Hypebeast. Archived from the original on July 10, 2022. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Oliver Tree Biography". AllMusic.
  5. ↑ Curtin, Kevin (March 26, 2022). "Oliver Tree on crying, his cowboy lineage, and his influences... which are none". The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
  6. ↑ Adams, Gregory. "OLIVER TREE, genre-defying musician, dead at 32". Revolver. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Dominican Hospital: Births". Santa Cruz Sentinel. July 16, 1993.
  8. ↑ "Oliver Tree On The Secret To A Perfect Bowl Cut, Touring And Why American Audiences "Suck"". ICON. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Oliver Tree on Jango Radio". Jango Radio. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Oliver Tree's 'Can Die At Any Time' Remark Resurfaces Amid Death, Once Hallucinated His Own Funeral". BollywoodShaadis. June 15, 2026. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  11. ↑ LaPierre, Megan (June 15, 2026). "Oliver Tree Dead at 32". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  12. 1 2 "Who Was Oliver Tree? All About the Eccentric Singer Killed in a Helicopter Crash". Biography.com. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  13. 1 2 Baine, Wallace (June 22, 2016). "Branching Out With Oliver Tree". santacruzsentinel.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  14. ↑ Holt, James; Bird, Daniel (June 14, 2026). "Iconic singer killed aged 32 in horror helicopter crash months before Manchester show". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  15. ↑ Terry, Josh. "Chartbreaker: Inside Oliver Tree's Retro, Meme-Friendly World And How He Turned 'Hurt' Into a Hit". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved October 9, 2019.
  16. ↑ Weir, Mat. "Branching Out With Oliver Tree". euphoric.net. Archived from the original on October 14, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Viral Sensation Oliver Tree Releases Debut EP Alien Boy" (PDF). Atlanticrecords.com. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 14, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  18. ↑ Hayden Davies (June 22, 2016). "Watch the haunting video for Getter's Forget It, featuring Oliver Tree". The Music. Archived from the original on March 5, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  19. ↑ "OWSLA Getter Oliver Tree Carson Daly". owsla.com. November 3, 2016. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved October 22, 2021.
  20. 1 2 Dunn, Jack (June 14, 2026). "Oliver Tree, 'Alien Boy' and 'Life Goes On' Musician, Dies at 32 in Helicopter Crash". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Here's what you need to know about the Oliver Tree album you can't hear". Alternative Press. March 27, 2020. Archived from the original on June 3, 2022. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
  22. ↑ Mat Weir (September 5, 2017). "Santa Cruz's Oliver 'Tree' Nickell on Bowl Cuts, Selling Out and Hitting the Big Time". Good Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  23. 1 2 3 "Oliver Tree Chart History – Hot Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved October 11, 2022.
  24. ↑ Tree, Oliver (February 16, 2018). "All That x Alien Boy". Archived from the original on November 28, 2019. Retrieved July 31, 2018 – via YouTube.
  25. ↑ "Oliver Tree is more than *just* a walking, singing, scootering meme". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. February 2, 2020. Archived from the original on April 29, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  26. ↑ Lopes, Shane. "The Best (and Weirdest) Fashion at Coachella 2017". LAWeekly. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  27. ↑ "Louis the Child at Hollywood Palladium on Sat Dec 16, 2017 8:00 PM PST — Live Nation". livenation.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2018. Retrieved August 1, 2018.
  28. ↑ "Skizzy Mars tour". DoLosAngeles.com. Archived from the original on July 25, 2025. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Oliver Tree Releases New Single 'Upside Down'". broadwayworld.com. January 5, 2018. Archived from the original on January 9, 2021. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
  30. ↑ Thomas, Carly. "Oliver Tree, "Life Goes On" and "Miss You" Singer, Dies in Helicopter Crash at 32". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  31. ↑ Tree, Oliver (December 7, 2018). "Hurt". YouTube. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  32. ↑ Oliver Tree (April 11, 2019), Oliver Tree – Fuck [Official Music Video], archived from the original on November 14, 2019, retrieved April 14, 2019
  33. ↑ Oliver Tree, Oliver Tree final tour Twitter Announcement, archived from the original on November 7, 2020, retrieved June 13, 2019
  34. ↑ Hartshorn, Tori (August 2, 2019). "Oliver Tree Drops Sophomore EP". Broadway World. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2019.
  35. ↑ Oliver Tree – Cash Machine [Official Music Video], December 6, 2019, archived from the original on December 6, 2019, retrieved December 6, 2019
  36. ↑ Tree, Oliver (March 25, 2020). "pic.twitter.com/e3d7SbO8Bu". @Olivertree. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  37. ↑ "Oliver Tree on Instagram: "UGLY IS BEAUTIFUL IS OUT NOW..."". Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2020.
  38. ↑ "Instagram". Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  39. ↑ Diymag (February 5, 2021). "Oliver Tree releases new track 'Out Of Ordinary' | News". diymag.com. Archived from the original on February 5, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  40. ↑ "Oliver Tree Concocts A Belter For All The Outcasts With "Out Of Ordinary"". This Song Is Sick. February 5, 2021. Archived from the original on March 5, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
  41. ↑ "Oliver Tree releases deluxe 'Ugly Is Beautiful' album featuring seven new songs". May 28, 2021. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  42. ↑ "Oliver Tree | Official Website | "Cowboys Don't Cry" Out Now!". olivertreemusic.com. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
  43. ↑ "Oliver Tree releases new song "I Hate You," announces US tour". 105.7 The Point. May 20, 2022. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved June 2, 2022.
  44. 1 2 "Oliver Tree Bounce". Preludepress.com. June 21, 2023. Archived from the original on July 25, 2023. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
  45. ↑ Murray, Robin (February 23, 2026). "Oliver Tree Announces New Album 'Love You Madly, Hate You Badly' | News". Clash Magazine. Archived from the original on February 24, 2026. Retrieved February 24, 2026.
  46. ↑ Sterdan, Darryl (April 24, 2026). "Albums Of The Week: Oliver Tree | Love You Madly, Hate You Badly". Tinnitist. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  47. ↑ Magazine, Dork (April 24, 2026). "Oliver Tree has put out his fourth studio album 'Love You Madly Hate You Badly'". readdork.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2026. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
  48. ↑ "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved April 9, 2026.
  49. ↑ "Oliver Tree announces 2026 The World's First World Tour following album release". Melodic Magazine. May 4, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  50. ↑ Kaloi, Stephanie (June 14, 2026). "Oliver Tree, 'Life Goes On' and 'Miss You' Singer, Dies at 32 in Helicopter Crash". TheWrap. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  51. ↑ Darville, Jordan (June 14, 2026). "Oliver Tree is reportedly dead at 32 from helicopter collision". The Fader. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  52. 1 2 McBride, Jessica. "Oliver Tree Girlfriend & Dating History: Singer Discussed Melanie Martinez, Relationships". Men's Journal. Archived from the original on June 15, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  53. ↑ "US singer Oliver Tree feared dead after helicopters collide over Rio de Janeiro killing six - AOL". AOL.com. June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  54. ↑ Dunn, Jack (June 14, 2026). "Oliver Tree, 'Alien Boy' and 'Life Goes On' Musician, Dies at 32 in Helicopter Crash". Variety. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  55. ↑ Saldanha, Rafael (June 14, 2026). "Cantor Oliver Tree é um dos mortos em acidente aéreo no Rio; veja vítimas" [Singer Oliver Tree is among those killed in plane crash in Rio; see victims]. CNN Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  56. ↑ Banerjee, Shamik (June 14, 2026). "What happened to Oliver Tree? Singer among 6 dead in Rio helicopter crash; chilling details". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on June 14, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  57. ↑ "6 people killed after helicopters collide in Brazil". CBC News. Associated Press. June 14, 2026. Archived from the original on June 15, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  58. ↑ "Oliver Tree Performs Hurt on Corden". www.sonic1029.com. May 21, 2019. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  59. ↑ Sani, Niko (November 6, 2020). "Watch Oliver Tree's Wild Performance of Unreleased, Getter-Produced Song on Colbert". EDM.com – The Latest Electronic Dance Music News, Reviews & Artists. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  60. ↑ Major, Michael (January 14, 2022). "VIDEO: Oliver Tree Performs 'Life Goes On' & 'Cowboys Don't Cry' Medley on KIMMEL". BroadwayWorld.com. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved May 23, 2023.
  61. ↑ "Logic's "Paradise Records" heads to Tribeca Film Festival". Variety. June 10, 2025. Archived from the original on July 20, 2025. Retrieved July 6, 2025.
  62. ↑ "Largest kick scooter". Guinness World Records. May 19, 2020. Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  63. ↑ Gajewski, Ryan (April 10, 2022). "Kids' Choice Awards: 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' Wins Big; Dr. Jill Biden Speaks". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 10, 2022. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  64. ↑ "NOMINEES ANNOUNCEMENT 13/14". April 8, 2022. Archived from the original on March 12, 2026. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
  65. ↑ "Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award 2023 Nominees: The Complete List". E! Online. January 31, 2023. Archived from the original on February 27, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2023.
  66. ↑ "Berlin Music Video Awards! 14th – 17th June 2023". May 4, 2023. Archived from the original on May 25, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
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