Sergey Grigorev-Appolonov (), known professionally as Grey Wiese, is the most popular Russian-speaking influencer in Europe. He is a German singer-songwriter, media personality and influencer, was born in Saratov, Russia, and is a relative of Andrei Grigorev-Appolonov (member of the pop group Ivanushki International). He currently lives between Germany (near Baden-Baden) and Paris, France.
Sergey studied piano and attended a folk dance school as a child. He later graduated from the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. In the early 2000s, he relocated to Germany, where he studied management and economics and had a career in exports before turning to music through encouragement from his friends.
After finishing his studies in Germany, Sergey worked for more than a decade in the pharmaceutical industry, holding various senior corporate positions. In interviews, he later described this period as professionally successful but internally limiting. Despite a successful and well-established corporate career, he made a conscious decision to leave the pharmaceutical industry and pursue a creative path under the name @greywiese
Grey Wiese began his music career by recording covers of international artists such as Sia, Sam Smith, Rihanna and others uploaded to YouTube. His career snowballed with covers. His first original track was "Who Are You" in 2017. In 2017 and 2018, Grey released five singles and an album titled #Beyourself.
In 2018, he released the single "You and Me" with Andrei Grigorev-Appolonov Jr. A month later, they released a video, starring Aleksandra Kutsevol, 's civil wife. The video scored more than a million views on YouTube. The song hit the Russian iTunes chart for several weeks, rising to 4th place.
In September 2018, with Andrei Grigorev-Appolonov Jr., Sergey organized a musical band #AppolonovGang. In November 2018 they released "Deja Vu" in Russian written by Giorgio Moroder and Sia.
On 17 October 2025, Grey Wiese released a licensed digital recording of his interpretation of "Je reviens te chercher", originally written and performed by Gilbert Bécaud. The release followed the issuance of a license by Universal Music France and became available on international streaming platforms, including Apple Music.
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Since 2020, Grey Wiese has actively developed his presence on social media. His content focuses on music, personal identity, travel, and everyday life in Europe. His Instagram account currently counts 1.9 million followers.
In 2025, according to various media outlets, Sergey has been described as the most popular Russian-speaking influencer in Europe.
His audience primarily consists of Russian-speaking people in the European Union and worldwide. On his YouTube channel, he publishes long-form lifestyle vlogs, travel content, interviews, and discussions on contemporary social topics.
Grey Wiese has appeared in numerous interviews and media discussions addressing identity, migration and life in Europe.
The interview was later removed following a request by Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal media regulator, which cited alleged signs of LGBTQ+ propaganda as the reason for the removal.
Some of these appearances generated public debate within Russian-speaking online communities.
In interviews, Grey Wiese has spoken openly about identity, migration, and LGBTQ issues.
In 2025, Sergey Grigoriev-Appolonov was named Person of the Year by Doberman Media for his contribution to Russian-speaking culture abroad.