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When I was just 10, I read about a article in my community gazette about the Air Guitar World Championships, that happens every year in my native city of Oulu, Finland. Mom and Dad had helped out at the pioneering contest back in 1996 – mom distributed flyers, dad organized the music. Ever since, domestic competitions have been held globally, with the winners gathering in Oulu annually.

At the time, I asked my parents if I could participate. At first they were hesitant; the event was in a bar, and there would be an older crowd. They felt it might be an overwhelming atmosphere, but I was determined.

As a kid, I was always performing air guitar, miming along to the biggest rock tunes with my make-believe instrument. My parents were music fans – my father loved Bruce Springsteen and the Irish rock band. the band AC/DC was the initial group I stumbled upon myself. the guitarist, the frontman guitarist, was my inspiration.

As I took the stage, I played my set to the band's the song Whole Lotta Rosie. The audience started chanting “Angus”, reminiscent of the album track, and it hit me: this must be to be a guitar hero. I advanced to the last round, performing to a large audience in the public plaza, and I was hooked. I earned the moniker “Little Angus” that day.

After that I stopped. I was a judge one year, and started the show on another occasion, but I stayed out of the contest. I went back at 18, experimented with various stage names, but people kept calling me “Little Angus” so I decided to own it and make “The Angus” as my performance alias. I’ve qualified for the last round annually from 2022 onward, and in 2023 I came second, so I was determined to take the title this year.

The worldwide group is like a family. The saying we live by is ‘Create music, not conflict’. It may seem funny, but it’s a true ethos.

The competition itself is intense but joyful. Participants have a short window to deliver maximum effort – explosive energy, perfect mime, stage magnetism – on an imaginary instrument. Adjudicators rate you on a grading system from 4.0 to 6.0. If scores are equal, there’s an “tiebreaker” between the final two contestants: a track is selected and you freestyle.

Preparation is everything. I chose an Avenged Sevenfold song for my routine. I listened to it on a loop for multiple weeks. I stretched constantly, trying to get my limbs flexible enough to bound, my digits quick enough to copy riffs and my upper body set for those bends and jumps. When competition day arrived, I could sense the music in my soul.

Once all acts were done, the points were announced, and I had tied with the Japanese champion, Yuta “Sudo-chan” Sudo – it was time for an air-off. We competed directly to Sweet Child o’ Mine by the iconic band. Once the track began, I felt comforted because it was familiar to me, and primarily I was so eager to perform one more time. When they announced I’d won, the square erupted.

It's all a bit fuzzy. I think I lost consciousness from the excitement. Then the crowd started chanting Neil Young’s the anthem Rockin' in the Free World and raised me up on to their backs. Justin Howard – alias Nordic Thunder – a former champion and one of my closest friends, was holding me. I shed tears. I was the first Finnish air guitar global winner in 25 years. The previous Finnish champion, the earlier victor, was in attendance as well. He offered me the warmest embrace and said it was “finally happening”.

Our global network is like a close-knit group. The phrase we live by is “Focus on fun, not fighting”. Though it appears comical, but it’s a genuine belief. Competitors come from all over the world, and all involved is positive and uplifting. Prior to performing, all participants offers an embrace. Then for one minute you’re able to be free, humorous, the top performer in the world.

Additionally, I am a drummer and musician in a band with my family member called the Southgates, named after the sports figure, as we’re inspired by UK rock and post-punk. I’ve been working in bars for a couple of years, and I direct short films and song visuals. Winning hasn’t changed my day-to-day life drastically but I’ve been doing a many interviews, and I aspire it brings more artistic projects. The city will be a designated cultural center the coming year, so there are promising opportunities.

For now, I’m just thankful: for the group, for the chance to perform, and for that young child who picked up a newspaper and thought, “I want to do that.”