US singer Oliver Tree is dead

US musician and internet personality Oliver Tree has died after two helicopters collided in Brazil, killing six people.

The 32-year-old singer, known for hits such as Life Goes On, Miss You and Alien Boy, was said to be travelling in one of the helicopters when the crash occurred over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday.

One of the helicopters reportedly crashed into the car park of a dealership, triggering a fire that destroyed about 20 vehicles.

Footage published by Brazilian media showed one of the helicopters falling from the sky before flames and thick smoke rose from the crash site.

Brazilian authorities said an investigation had been opened to determine the cause of the collision.

The Military Fire Department of the State of Rio de Janeiro said emergency officials were called to the scene around 9am local time.

Argentine content creator Gaspar Prim Diaz, popularly known as Gaspi, was also believed to be among those on board.

Other names listed on the helicopter manifest included Lucas Brito Chaves, Lucas Vignale and pilot Alexandre Souza. The second aircraft was said to have been piloted by Charles Marsillac.

Tree, born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California, rose to fame in 2016 after going viral on social media.

He later built a large following with his eccentric style, bowl haircut and genre-blending music.

The singer had recently begun a world tour and performed in São Paulo, Brazil, on June 6. He was scheduled to perform in Lisbon on July 1, with other dates planned in Glasgow, Manchester and London in September.

British YouTuber and musician KSI, who collaborated with Tree on the song Voices, paid tribute to him in an emotional post on X.

“You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real,” KSI wrote.

Jackass star Steve-O also mourned the singer, describing him as a caring friend.

“I was incredibly lucky to become friends with Oliver Tree,” he wrote.

Tree was nominated for a Brit Award in 2024 for Miss You, his song with German producer Robin Schulz.

In 2020, he also broke the Guinness World Record for building the world’s largest kick scooter.