Looking Back at Oliver Tree, One of America’s Most Unique Musicians We Lost in 2026

A retrospective about Oliver Tree. We’ll be going in depth from birth to unfortunate passing. From his incredible Music, to his fantastic acting chops, and even that time he was an amateur professional kick scooter athlete.

Who Was Oliver Tree

Oliver Tree Nickell, known better by fans as just Oliver Tree, was born on June 29, 1993 in Santa Cruz California. Born to traveling circus performers, Tree would spend the first 12 years of his life primarily living in his families mobile motor home. He began piano lessons at age 3, and according to himself, had written a full album of his own original music by age 6. When his family finally settled down when he was 12, he gained access to synthesizers, recording equipment, and copious art supplies, which contributed to his multidisciplinary interests.

Tree’s teenage years were heavily affected by the early passing of a cousin of his, which affected his mental health and reportedly lead to drug addiction and drug dealing. He was kicked out of his families’ home during this period of time. Tree turned to creative outlets, and athletic pursuits to cope, eventually stabilizing himself with the help of local musicians, and athletic competitions. He would reconcile with his parents shortly thereafter.

Oliver Trees short lived Athletic Career

Tree fostered a long love of Kick Scooters, even going so far as to ride them professionally across Californian circuits. Earning multiple sponsorships from large scooter brands, he would retire from scooter competitions by age 18, citing several serious injuries.

Tree’s love affair with scooters would persist throughout his life, scooters and oversized athletic gear would be displayed in his music videos, and he would share many videos of him doing scooter tricks. In 2020 Tree would even set a Guinness World Record, building the largest kick scooter in the world. Coming in at 13.7 feet tall, Tree had to employ stilts to ride the metal beast, achieving a distance of a half mile and securing his world record.

Oliver Tree finds a new Career Path

In middle school Tree joined ska Outfit “Irony,” which was his first taste of performing. In high school he would drift away from ska and towards hip-hop, electronic, and rap. Alongside his kick scooter career he preformed as a DJ known as “Kryph” primarily producing dubstep. Under the name “Tree” he would open for the likes of Skrillex, Frank Ocean, and Tyler the Creator. After graduating high school he moved to San Francisco and took courses at SFSU, during which time he signed on with R&S Record and in 2013 released his first EP Demons. After a brief Hiatus he would transfer to CalArts and study Music Technology.

Oliver Tree Finds Success

In October of 2016 Oliver Tree, still going by just “Tree” at that point, signed on with Atlantic Records. In that same year he graduated from CalArts with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts. In February 2018 Oliver Tree would take up the name hes known for, and release his Big Record Label Debut EP, Alien Boy, and the Double Music Video for All That X Alien Boy, which he wrote, directed, and performed all the stunts for, yes, even including a monster truck jump. Through 2018 and 2019 Oliver Tree would release several singles culminating in his debut studio album, Ugly Is Beautiful.

That One Time Oliver Tree was in a Movie

In 2025, the movie “Paradise Records”, written directed and starring the Rapper Logic, was released. The basic premise of the Plot is that Logic plays the owner of a struggling Record Store. Oliver Tree plays one of two robbers, a man named Bobby who attempts to rob the store. This scene went viral for a little while on Facebook due exactly to Oliver Trees amazing performance.

Kevin Smith, director of films such as “Clerks” and “Dogma,” actually edited this particular scene. In a Facebook post from June 16 2026 Kevin Smith can be quoted as saying “I fell in love with his brilliance… …so much so that I came to set specifically so Logic could introduce me to him after I nearly passed out from laughing while editing this scene”. For this who haven’t seen, I strongly encourage seeking out Paradise Records, the movie, especially a scene where Oliver Tree is screaming about an inhaler, is absolute cinema.

A Life and Legacy Tragically Cut short

In April of 2026 Oliver Tree announced that later that month he would release Love you Madly Hate you Badly, and that he had left Atlantic Records to release the album under his own Label, Alien Boy Records. On May 4 2026 Oliver Tree would announce a “Worlds First World Tour” spanning over 70 shows in 30 countries on all 7 continents. On June 6th 2026 Oliver Tree would arrive in Rio De Janeiro for his tour, where he planned to stay a couple weeks.

In the early hours of June 14th 2026 Oliver Tree would board a Helicopter, a Bell206 JetRanger. At approximately 9AM local time the Helicopter Oliver Tree was on with several other oppucants collided with another Helicopter, an Aérospatiale AS350 Ecureuil, leaving zero survivors.

In 32 years of life, he experienced more than most. A short career as a Professional Athlete, masses of fans of his music, and even an acting credit. He touched many lives with his Music and his larger-than-life persona, and he will be sorely missed. In conclusion, though the song may say “Life goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on”, Oliver Tree unfortunately will not.