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At the age of 10, I came across a article in my local paper about the Global Air Guitar Contest, which take place every year in my native city of Oulu, Finland. Mom and Dad had helped out at the pioneering contest since 1996 – mom distributed flyers, dad sorted the music. Since then, national championships have been held globally, with the titleholders converging in Oulu annually.

Back then, I asked my parents if I could participate. They weren't sure at first; the show was in a bar, and there would be an older crowd. They felt it might be an daunting atmosphere, but I was set on it.

In my youth, I was always “playing” air guitar, miming along to the iconic rock tunes with my imaginary instrument. Mom and Dad were lovers of music – my dad loved The Boss and the Irish rock band. the Australian rockers was the original act I discovered on my own. Angus Young, the frontman guitarist, was my hero.

Upon entering the spotlight, I did my routine to AC/DC’s Whole Lotta Rosie. The audience started shouting “Angus”, just like the album track, and it dawned on me: this must be to be a guitar hero. I reached the championship, performing to crowds in the town square, and I was captivated. I was dubbed “Little Angus” that day.

Then I took a break. I was a referee one year, and kicked off the show once more, but I stayed out of the contest. I went back at 18, experimented with various stage names, but fans continued using “Little Angus” so I embraced it and adopt “The Angus” as my artist name. I’ve reached the finals each competition since then, and in 2023 I placed second, so I was resolved to take the title this year.

Our global network is like a close-knit group. Our motto is ‘Make air, not war’. It sounds silly, but it’s a true ethos.

The competition itself is competitive but uplifting. Participants have a short window to deliver maximum effort – high-powered performance, perfect mime, stage magnetism – on an invisible guitar. Adjudicators evaluate you on a point range from 4.0 to 6.0. In the case of a tie, there’s an “showdown” between the final two contestants: a track is selected and you improvise.

Preparation is everything. I picked an the band Avenged Sevenfold song for my act. I had it on repeat for a long time. I practiced flexibility, trying to get my lower body flexible enough to jump, my fingers fast enough to mimic solos and my back set for those gestures and hops. By the time competition day dawned, I could sense the music in my being.

After everyone had performed, the results were tallied, and I had matched with the titleholder from Japan, the Japanese titleholder – it was occasion for an final showdown. We went head-to-head to Sweet Child o’ Mine by the rock group. When I heard the song, I felt comforted because it was familiar to me, and primarily I was so excited to have another go. As they declared I’d won, the square exploded.

My memory is blurry. I think I blacked out from shock. Then all present started singing the song that well-known track and lifted me on to their backs. Justin Howard – AKA Nordic Thunder – a former champion and one of my dear companions, was holding me. I cried. I was the inaugural from Finland air guitar world champion in two and a half decades. The previous Finnish champion, Markus “Black Raven” Vainionpää, was there, too. He bestowed upon me the most heartfelt squeeze and said it was “long overdue”.

The air guitar community is like a support system. Our guiding saying is “Create music, not conflict”. It sounds silly, but it’s a real philosophy. People come from many countries, and each person is helpful and motivating. Prior to performing, every competitor shows support. Then for one minute you’re free to be yourself, humorous, the top performer in the world.

Additionally, I am a percussionist and string player in a group with my family member called the group title, inspired by the football manager, as we’re inspired by British music genres. I’ve been bartending for a couple of years, and I produce short films and music videos. The victory hasn’t changed my day-to-day life drastically but I’ve been doing a many interviews, and I wish it leads to more creative work. Oulu will be a European capital of culture soon, so there are promising opportunities.

Currently, I’m just thankful: for the group, for the opportunity to play, and for that little kid who picked up a newspaper and thought, “I want to do that.”