American singer-songwriter and rapper Oliver Tree, 32, was one of six people killed on Sunday when two helicopters collided over the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro.
Firefighters said one of the helicopters crashed into a car dealership car park, igniting a fire as it hit parked electric vehicles. Further investigation into the cause of the crash is continuing.
While all of the victims have yet to be identified, local police have stated that Tree was known to be one of the passengers on board. Gaspar Prim, an Argentine influencer with more than 3.1 million Instagram followers, is also known to have been on the passenger list.
Having kicked off his world tour on May 30, Tree most recently performed on June 4 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The artist, known for singles such as Life Goes On and Miss You, was scheduled to perform next in Europe before moving on to the US, Australia and New Zealand.
While Tree’s upcoming tour didn't include dates in the region, his music has brought him to the Middle East before.
Speaking in April on the Zach Sang Show, an independent radio show hosted by the American podcaster, Tree discussed the creative process behind his new album, Love You Madly, Hate You Badly, also released that month.
He said: “The thing that's crazy about these songs is that they're made in so many different places. The song Deep End: the version that came out is part of the Iraq remix ... So I had made so many different versions … But some of the final tweaks of it were made in Iraq.”
He went on to discuss shooting his album cover in Afghanistan, but holding back from recording any music. “I went to Afghanistan … music is illegal there [but] that’s where I shot the album cover. So I was respectful to say I'm not going to record music here, but I want to work on the album here, so I shot the album cover there.”
Tree went on to discuss with the hosts the Taliban’s outlawing of music and burning of instruments.
Previously, Tree shared pictures on Instagram of his travels in the region. A November 2021 post read: “I’ve spent the last month exploring the Middle East & Northern Africa while finishing my final album, Cowboy Tears.
"This trip has shaped my entire perspective on the world. Life is not about the destination, but the journey. The two-year journey creating this album has made me mature and evolve into the artist and (most importantly) the human I’ve always wanted to be.”
