Oliver Tree was remembered on Saturday, July 25, at a public Celebration of Life in his hometown of Santa Cruz, California, six weeks after his death in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro at age 32. The memorial took place at Quarry Amphitheater and was shaped to reflect the surreal, comedic energy that had become such a big part of his public identity.
Among those who spoke were Diplo and Logan Paul. Diplo described Tree as the coolest person he had ever met, while Paul, who was close to the singer, delivered remarks that mixed affection with the kind of humor Tree often embraced. He joked about Tree’s hair and said the singer was likely watching from heaven and probably disappointed in the event’s production, before going on to call him a lifelong friend, an adventurer, and a generational artist whose music would endure.
The memorial’s staging leaned into Tree’s eccentric image. In front of the stage, three mannequins dressed like the singer — complete with bright windbreakers, sunglasses, cowboy hats and his recognizable bowl cut — were placed in coffins. Tree’s parents also addressed the crowd, saying he would have urged people to trust themselves, make art, and get their hands dirty. They added that he was a doer.
Proceeds from the event went to Dr. Oliver Tree’s Extremely Epic Grant for Baby Geniuses, a foundation created by his estate in line with his will. In the months before his death, Tree had said he wanted his money to go to artists rather than his family. Born Oliver Tree Nickell, he built a career that stretched across music, filmmaking and internet spectacle, releasing four major-label albums through Atlantic Records and scoring chart success with projects including Ugly Is Beautiful and the single “Life Goes On,” as well as the Robin Schulz collaboration “Miss You.”
Source: billboard.com
