Oliver Tree Nickell (1993–2026) was an American singer-songwriter and rapper known for his genre-defying music. He gained international recognition with the songs "Life Goes On" in 2021 and "Miss You" in 2022. Born in Santa Cruz, California, he signed to Atlantic Records in 2017 after his song "When I'm Down" went viral. He died in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in June 2026, and the cause of the collision is under investigation.
Early life
Born to parents who worked as traveling circus performers, Tree spent much of his childhood living in a motor home. He began piano lessons at age three and claimed to have written a full album by six. After a difficult period in his teens, he credited music with helping him overcome addiction. He picked up the guitar in middle school, performed with a local ska band, and later worked as a DJ during high school. He studied business briefly before graduating from the California Institute of the Arts in 2016 with a degree in music technology.
Career and albums
Tree released early music independently and signed with R&S Records in 2013 before returning to music after his studies. His 2016 song "When I'm Down" led to a contract with Atlantic Records. His debut album, Ugly Is Beautiful, arrived in July 2020 after several delays, and included several certified singles. He followed it with Cowboy Tears in 2022, Alone in a Crowd in 2023, and Love You Madly Hate You Badly in 2026.