Oliver Tree stated seven weeks prior to his death that nobody in his family would “get a penny” if he died.
During an April 25 appearance on “The Zach Sang Show” podcast, Tree said, “I don’t believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it [a career] is mine. So when I die — I’ve set it up — my will is set up that when I pass, my family, no one’s going to get a penny.”
The late singer-songwriter died at the age of 32 on the morning of Sunday, June 14, after two helicopters collided in southwest Rio de Janeiro. CNN Brasil reported that Tree was one of six passenger fatalities. Us Weekly reached out to a representative for Tree at the time.
The interview expanded on Tree’s financial intentions, including what he wanted had he found a partner and started a family before his death. “If I have a wife or kids or anything, [they’re] not getting a f—ing penny,” he said during the interview. “I’ll get my kids through college. That’s the agreement. But there’s not going to be a silver spoon. They’re taken care of because my dad worked on some stuff in the 2000s. The idea is, when I die, all the money is going to go back to artists.”
The musician was known for his hit song “Life Goes On,” attracting more than 2 million social media followers who followed his humorous online content as well as his music. He had traveled to Brazil as part of a world tour, performing on June 6 in São Paulo. He was scheduled to perform in Lisbon, Portugal, on Monday, July 13.
CNN Brasil reported that Tree was killed when helicopters collided mid-air in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a coastal area in Rio de Janeiro. The outlet added that there were no survivors and the crash caused further damage when loose copters hit an electric vehicle yard, setting fire to more than 20 vehicles.
Just hours before the incident occurred, Tree had shared a playful video that captured his time in Brazil. “Gringo’s 24 hours in Brazil,” Tree and a collaborator named Iae Break wrote in Spanish via Instagram on Saturday, June 14.
The clip included footage of Tree playing soccer, getting a haircut to upkeep his signature bowl cut and lengthy mullet, and cooking meat.
Tree’s podcast interview with host Zach Sang, 33, also included a conversation about how he hoped his artistic pursuits would create a legacy in the case of his death. “When I die, my art will continue to have residuals and probably be worth more than it is now. People will finally appreciate my stupid f—ing videos or my stupid f—ing songs,” he said. “That’s when people appreciate you, when you’re not there anymore. I have basically a committee that I’ve set up when I pass — and I plan to do it while I’m alive — where basically everyone will vote on who the money goes to each year.”
