YouTuber KSI and others have shared an emotional tributes to US singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, who was killed in a mid-air crash between two helicopters in Brazil, according to local reports.
The helicopters collided over Rio de Janeiro on Sunday morning, killing all six people on board both aircraft.
Tree was listed on the passenger manifest of one of the aircraft which crashed into a car dealership in the city’s western zone, igniting a fire that was subsequently extinguished.
Police have not yet been able to formally identify the bodies of the victims.
Tree, a 32-year-old American artist, collaborated with KSI on the track “Voices” and is widely known for his hit “Miss You.”
Taking to X, KSI expressed his profound grief, writing: "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."
Jackass star Steve-O, real name Stephen Glover, paid tribute to the late singer in a post on Instagram.
Sharing a photograph of the two together, the US comedian and prankster said: “I was incredibly lucky to become friends with Oliver Tree.
“He would check in on me regularly, and let me know he cared about how I was doing. Such a great person, f***, I’m going to miss him…”
Also paying tribute is DJ and record producer Diplo, who collaborated with him on song “Ultraman” – the theme for Netflix superhero film Ultraman: Rising.
The 47-year-old, real name Thomas Pentz Jr, hailed Tree as “witty as f***”, and “cooler than everyone” in a lengthy tribute to Instagram, which was accompanied by a carousel of images of the two together.
Diplo wrote: “He was like a brother I never had. If we weren’t always on the grind, traveling, learning, and trying to make the craziest music we’d ever heard, we probably would’ve spent more time together just because we were on the exact same wavelength.
“I don’t think we’ll ever have another human like this again. No rules. No apologies. He was 1000% himself and on a mission to add more joy to this music scene. I’ve never experienced anyone with this high a level of vibration.”
Diplo went on to say he had hoped the news of Tree’s death was “some elaborate, painstakingly insane way to drop a new song” and said: “It doesn’t feel real. Part of me still thinks I’m going to see him in a few weeks, exactly like always.
“What a f****** rockstar he was. I’m not gonna say I miss you yet, because somehow you’re still here. Still inspiring me right now.”
US singer T-Pain shared videos of Tree featuring on an episode of his Nappy Boy Radio podcast, and a clip of him speaking about “making music for me” instead of worrying about external pressures.
He wrote: “Never will forget this lesson from Oliver or the time we had on @NappyBoyRadioPodcast. Thanks for sharing your art and for always being different in the best way possible. See you on the brighter side.”
Other stars to pay tribute include Bebe Rexha, who wrote on X that she is “in shock” and “so sad”, as she remembered Tree as “passionate, talented and kind”.
US rapper Kid Cudi hailed Tree as a “really amazing and beautiful human” in a post to X reacting to the “heartbreaking” news.
Tree was only weeks into his ambitious World’s First World Tour, which aimed to see him perform on all seven continents.
He had recently played in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 4 June, and shared a video of himself playing football in a Brazilian neighbourhood just the day before the incident.
His tour schedule included more than 70 shows across 30 countries, with upcoming UK dates in Glasgow, Manchester, and London slated for September.
In 2024, he received a Brit Award nomination for International Song alongside German producer Robin Schulz for “Miss You,” which peaked at number three in the UK singles chart.
Beyond his musical career, Tree also held a Guinness World Record, achieved in 2020, for the largest kick scooter, measuring 0.16m tall and 3.13m long, a feat he reportedly undertook to "fulfil a lifelong dream".
According to AP, content creator Gaspar Prim Diaz – also known as Gaspi – was also believed to have been in one of the helicopters.
Gaspi had more than 2.8 million followers on YouTube and was 23.
In a tribute shared on X, Argentine streaming channel Blender said: “Thanks for your art, your magic and your sensibility, every one of us will miss you.”
Officials have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the collision.
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