Oliver Tree Nickell, the Santa Cruz-born musician who built one of the internet age's most recognizable alter egos from a bowl cut and a pair of oversized trousers, died Sunday morning in Rio de Janeiro. Two helicopters collided over the city and crashed in its western zone, killing all six people aboard. He was 32.
The collision occurred over Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a neighborhood in western Rio de Janeiro. One of the helicopters crashed into the parking lot of a car dealership, where several electric vehicles were parked, igniting a fire that was subsequently extinguished. Tree and four others were in one helicopter, while only a pilot flew the other.
The Civil Police of Rio de Janeiro confirmed that Tree was among six people killed in the crash. The other victims identified were passengers Argentine YouTuber Gaspar Prim, Lucas Vignale, and Lucas Brito Chaves, along with pilots Alexandre Souza and Charles Marsillac. Police said Tree was on the list of passengers handed to aviation authorities, but have not been able to identify the bodies of those killed.
An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the collision.
Tree had been in South America as part of "The World's First World Tour," his most expansive live run to date. On June 6, he performed in São Paulo, Brazil, as part of the world tour supporting his latest album, "Love You Madly, Hate You Badly." He was next scheduled to play a show in Lisbon on July 1. As recently as the day before the crash, Tree was posting content to social media from his time in Brazil.
The 17-track album was written and produced by Tree, recorded over two years across seven continents and 82 countries. Released on April 24, 2026, it was his fourth studio album, put out independently through Alien Boy Records. The 70-plus-date tour was set to span more than 30 countries.
Born Oliver Tree Nickell on June 29, 1993, in Santa Cruz, California, he rose to fame on Vine in 2016 with his alter ego "Turbo," who sported a signature bowl cut, oversized 1980s clothing and an eccentric persona. That same year, he released his first hit song, "When I'm Down," which ultimately led to him signing with Atlantic Records in 2017.
His debut major-label album, "Ugly Is Beautiful," was released on July 17, 2020, through Atlantic Records, following seven years of EP releases and an independent album. It debuted at number 14 on the Billboard 200 and number one on the Top Rock Albums chart. His biggest single on TikTok, "Life Goes On," has been used in over 3.7 million videos, while "Miss You" has been used 1.5 million times.
Known for his distinctive bowl haircut and cartoonish wide-leg pants, Nickell was also an active collaborator in the electronic dance music space, working with Subtronics, Whethan, What So Not, Robin Schulz, and other prominent DJs. Throughout his career, he utilized several different characters and performance eras, using a mix of internet trolling and meme marketing to promote his music.
"Love You Madly, Hate You Badly" now reads as an unintended final statement. A feature-length documentary about the album's creation in Antarctica was also in the works at the time of his death. The tour's European and North American legs will not proceed. What remains is a catalog built on genre friction and a persona that made restlessness feel like a creative method.
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