In the eeriest twist, Oliver Tree, the iconic American singer-songwriter and internet personality, revealed the content of his will mere weeks before he met his tragic demise. At the tender age of 32, Tree was tragically killed in a helicopter crash over the sun-splashed landscape of Brazil, a nation he was set to mesmerise as part of a world tour. As fate would have it, the helicopter he was travelling in collided mid-air over the buzzing cityscape of Rio de Janeiro, unleashing an event with a surreal postscript.
Just weeks prior, Oliver Tree confided on the Zach Sang Show podcast about his rather unconventional plans for his considerable wealth after his death. In that heart-to-heart, Tree nonchalantly declared his heaven-sent fortune wouldn’t grace the wallets of his family. “I don’t believe that any of the wealth or the things that get made from it is mine,” he said, articulating a sentiment both unexpected and startlingly poignant now. His declaration was clear as day: “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.”
Tree was notorious for hits like ‘Life Goes On,’ ‘Miss You,’ and ‘Alien Boy,’ which resonated with fans worldwide for their raw and eclectic vibe. His unexpected exit leaves not only a void in the music scene but also an eerie kind of legacy — that of a man who intended his artistry to create a new cycle of support for other artists after his passing.
In this unprecedented revelation, Tree continued, indicating that not even potential spouses or offspring would receive a slice of his pie. “If I have a wife or kids or anything, [they’re] not getting a f***ing penny,” he stated with a candour as bracing as it is bittersweet. He did assure, though, that he’d see his children through college — a nod to responsibility without indulgence. Not one to hand his progeny a ‘silver spoon’, his approach was to provide for their education, letting them carve their own path thereafter.
While the world laments his untimely passing, the legacy he set forth for his wealth — to recycle it back into the arts — adds a profound dimension to his artistry. Tree revealed an additional layer to his personal history, noting that other aspects of his family’s financial fortune were safely anchored by his father’s ventures in the 2000s. By ensuring that “when I die, all the money is going to go back to artists,” Oliver Tree might have just orchestrated his final, most impactful symphony — a melodic gift to the creative community from beyond the grave.
