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At the age of 10, I came across a feature in my local paper about the Air Guitar World Championships, which take place every year in my hometown of Oulu, Finland. My parents had participated at the pioneering contest starting from 1996 – my mother gave out flyers, my father organized the music. Ever since, country-level contests have been held globally, with the champions assembling in Oulu every summer.

At the time, I requested permission if I could compete. Initially they had doubts; the competition was in a bar, and there would be many grown-ups. They believed it might be an overwhelming atmosphere, but I was determined.

As a kid, I was always miming air guitar, miming along to the most popular rock tunes with my make-believe instrument. Mom and Dad were enthusiasts – dad loved The Boss and U2. the band AC/DC was the first band I discovered on my own. Angus Young, the guitar hero, was my idol.

Upon entering the spotlight, I played my set to AC/DC’s that classic track. The crowd started chanting “Angus”, reminiscent of the album track, and it dawned on me: this is what it feels like to be a rock star. I made it to the finals, performing to a large audience in Oulu’s market square, and I was captivated. I got the nickname “Little Angus” that day.

After that I stopped. I was a adjudicator one year, and kicked off the show on another occasion, but I didn’t compete. I returned at 18, tested out several stage names, but people kept calling me “Little Angus” so I decided to own it and adopt “The Angus” as my stage name. I’ve reached the finals each competition since then, and in 2023 I placed second, so I was resolved to win this year.

The worldwide group is like a family. Our motto is ‘Make air, not war’. It sounds silly, but it’s a real philosophy.

The event is competitive but uplifting. Participants have 60 seconds to put their all – high-powered performance, perfect mime, rock star charisma – on an invisible guitar. Judges rate you on a scale from a specific numeric range. In the case of a tie, there’s an “showdown” between the last two competitors: a track is selected and you freestyle.

Training is crucial. I chose an the band Avenged Sevenfold song for my act. I listened to it on a loop for weeks. I did regular stretches, trying to get my lower body prepared enough to jump, my hands fast enough to copy riffs and my upper body prepared for those moves and leaps. Once the big day arrived, I could sense the music in my bones.

After everyone had performed, the points were announced, and I had tied with the winner from Japan, the Japanese titleholder – it was moment for an final showdown. We competed directly to that classic rock anthem by the iconic band. When I heard the song, I felt at ease because it was one that I knew, and primarily I was so excited to have another go. When they announced I’d triumphed, the square erupted.

My memory is blurry. I think I blacked out from surprise. Then everyone started performing the song that well-known track and hoisted me on to their arms. One of the greats – AKA his performer title – a previous titleholder and one of my dear companions, was hugging me. I shed tears. I was the first Finnish air guitar global winner in a quarter-century. The prior titleholder, Markus “Black Raven” Vainionpää, was in attendance as well. He bestowed upon me the most heartfelt squeeze and said it was “about damn time”.

The air guitar community is like a family. The phrase we live by is “Create music, not conflict”. Though it appears comical, but it’s a real philosophy. People come from globally, and each person is helpful and motivating. As you prepare to compete, each contestant offers an embrace. Then for 60 seconds you’re able to be free, playful, the top performer in the world.

I’m also a beat keeper and string player in a group with my family member called the group title, named after the football manager, as we’re inspired by Britpop and new wave. I’ve been serving drinks for a short time, and I create short films and performance clips. The victory hasn’t changed my day-to-day life too much but I’ve been doing a many interviews, and I wish it results in more creative work. The city will be a European capital of culture soon, so there are exciting things ahead.

For now, I’m just thankful: for the network, for the opportunity to play, and for that budding enthusiast who picked up a newspaper and thought, “I'd love to try that.”