Melanie Martinez Mourns Ex-Boyfriend Oliver Tree After His Death at 32

After news of the shock death of Oliver Tree emerged on Sunday (June 14), tributes have poured out from across the music industry.

Melanie Martinez , who had previously dated the ‘Alone In A Crowd’ artist, shared a tribute on her Instagram story, and remembered him as a “true artist” with a “soft heart”.

“Been an absolute wreck today,” she wrote. “It’s really hard to understand how someone who you once shared such a specific and formative time of your life with can all of a sudden be gone. He was so dedicated to his art which I admired and respected so deeply.

“I think everyone who knew him will look back at those moments of laughter and joy he so easily sparked. His laugh was so contagious and warm. His ability to lead creatively and take action while also maintaining a sense of childlike wonder and awe was so inspiring. He had such a soft heart and was a true artist in every way.”

She rounded off her message by writing: “Rest in peace Oliver. I know you’re making the angels giggle. I’ll be here wondering what stunt and creative project you’re scheming up in heaven. All my love.”

Kid Cudi was also among those who paid tribute to Tree, taking to X to write: “Fuck man. Spoke to Oliver a few weeks ago. This is heartbreaking. A really amazing and beautiful human. This shit sucks bad. Sending all my prayers and love to the families dealing with losses. Oliver we love you, forever.”

> Melanie Martinez remembers ex-boyfriend Oliver Tree in heartfelt tribute after his passing: “Been an absolute wreck today. It's really hard to understand how someone who you once shared such a specific and formative time of your life with can all of a sudden be gone.” pic.twitter.com/Gjqo5dZZbU — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) June 14, 2026

> Oliver Tree is one of the most talented people on earth and usually that comes with an ego and all kinds of dickhead nonsense, but Oliver is pure love and the best version of what an artist and person can and should be. There’s no silver lining. We lost a giant pic.twitter.com/RRR1dUC3ok — Whitney Cummings (@WhitneyCummings) June 14, 2026

> I’m in shock. I was in the middle of my cd signing in nyc when I found the news of Oliver tree. I can’t believe it. We recorded a record together to be on dirty blonde. He was so smart . Passionate. Talented. Kind. I’m so sad. May he rest in peace. — Bebe Rexha (@BebeRexha) June 14, 2026

> “Life is short and everything is temporary so put yourself first and focus on what will make you happy cause everything else is out of your hands!” RIP Oliver Tree, beautiful soul. pic.twitter.com/ESggTR8FYB — Banks (@Banks) June 14, 2026

> Oliver was one of the most genuine, creative, and talented friends I’ve ever made doing any of this stuff. We lost a true artist today. Why they had to take you, I don’t know. I’m in disbelief, sad, confused. We will miss you brother. pic.twitter.com/f217wSZJAp — Jeff Wittek (@jeffwittek) June 14, 2026

> I’m in disbelief… still desperate to think this is part of an elaborate prank. That seems like something he’d do, right? The truth is, no matter how desperate I am to not believe it, my friend Oliver has passed away. Oliver was such a unique soul, he had an ability that was… pic.twitter.com/K9lCiPaRJq — Ethan Klein (@h3h3productions) June 14, 2026

> Can’t believe I’m actually having to type this. You’re 32 man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make. So much content to make. You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you bro pic.twitter.com/g32fyqSkUY — ksi (@KSI) June 14, 2026

> Sad to hear about Oliver Tree. Dude was a super kind, creative powerhouse and always made it a fun time. — FLYLO (@flyinglotus) June 14, 2026

“I’m in shock,” Bebe Rexha also shared. “I was in the middle of my CD signing in NYC when I found the news of Oliver tree. I can’t believe it. We recorded a record together to be on Dirty Blonde. He was so smart. Passionate. Talented. Kind. I’m so sad. May he rest in peace.”

Another tribute came from T-Pain , who shared a video of Tree telling him about “making music for me” instead of worrying about outside pressure. “Never will forget this lesson from Oliver or the time we had on @NBRadioPodcast,” he wrote. “Thanks for sharing your art and for always being different in the best way possible. See you on the brighter side.”

KSI took to X to say he couldn’t believe he was “having to type this”, and went on to say: “You’re 32 man. You should still be here. You still had so much life to live. So much music to make. So much content to make. You’re a legend and will always be a legend. Still doesn’t feel real. Genuinely feel sick. I love you bro.”

Comedian Whitney Cummings wrote described Tree as “one of the most talented people on earth”, while Andy Milonakis said “life is fragile and unfair” in the wake of the news. Rapper and producer Flying Lotus   also paid tribute, saying he was a “super kind, creative powerhouse and always made it a fun time”.

Tree rose to fame in 2017 with his viral hit ‘When I’m Down’, and built a fanbase thanks to his blend of alternative pop and absurdist humour, with his distinctive bowl haircut and oversized clothing giving him a unique public image.

He was born Oliver Tree Nickell in Santa Cruz, California on June 29, 1993, and after several years of working on independent projects, he signed to Atlantic Records in 2017 and released his debut album ‘ Ugly Is Beautiful ’ in 2020. It included the platinum-certified single ‘Hurt’ and established Tree as a crossover star.

NME  reviewed the album , writing: “Injecting humour into everything he does while offering a surrealist escape from the mundane everyday – it’s easy to see how Tree’s outlandishness has made him the digital age’s definitive rockstar.”

The 2022 album ‘Cowboy Tears’ saw him explore country music influences, while ‘Alone In A Crowd’ the following year included the sped-up hit ‘Miss You’, a collaboration with Robin Schulz.

NME  named him as one of the standout acts at the Governors Ball 2023 , noting: “If you want to laugh and dance at the same time, look no further than Oliver Tree. Known for his stage antics and viral, sped-up TikTok hits like ‘Miss You’, the California performer is already ready to light up the stage with his bowl cut. The meme machine is a pro at merging irony, humour and delight into his sets, so if you’re in the mood for something unforgettable, you’ll want to be there when he brings his one-of-a-kind energy to Gov Ball.”

The post Oliver Tree’s ex-girlfriend Melanie Martinez leads tributes to artist, dead at 32: “I’ll be here wondering what creative project you’re scheming up in heaven” appeared first on NME .

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