“People come from all over the world, and everyone is supportive and encouraging. For 60 seconds you’re allowed to be free, silly, the biggest rock star in the world”: The World Air Guitar champion talks about how he won his title

This year’s World Air Guitar champion – yes, of course there is such a thing - has been talking to the Guardian about the presitigious championships and what it takes to win the title.

His name is Aapo Rautio and the World Air Guitar championships takes place every year in his home town of Oulu in Finland. From an early age, young Rautio was taken by the idea of being an ‘air’ musician: “As a kid, I was always ‘playing’ air guitar, miming along to the biggest rock tunes with my imaginary instrument.

"My parents were music fans – my dad loved Bruce Springsteen and U2. AC/DC was the first band I discovered on my own. Angus Young, the lead guitarist, was my hero.”

He first entered the competition as a teenager, which it seems was a formative experience for Aapo: When I stepped on stage, I did my routine to AC/DC’s Whole Lotta Rosie. The crowd started chanting “Angus!”, just like on the live recording, and it hit me: this is what it feels like to be a rock star.

"I made it to the finals, playing to hundreds of people in Oulu’s market square, and I was hooked. I got the nickname ‘Little Angus’ that day.

Competitors have just one minute to perform their piece, after which judges score them on a scale of 4.0 to 6.0, just like Olympic figure skating. If there’s a tie then there’s an ‘air-off’ between the final two contestants, which really does sound like something.

This is what happened to Aapo this year. “After everyone had performed, the scores came in, and I had tied with the Japanese champion, Yuta ‘Sudo-chan’ Sudo – it was time for an air-off. We went head-to-head to Sweet Child o’ Mine by Guns N’ Roses.

"When I heard the song, I felt relieved because it was one that I knew, and more than anything I was so excited to perform one more time. When they announced I’d won, the square erupted.”

“I think I blacked out from shock,” remembers Aapo. “Then everyone started singing Neil Young’s Rockin’ in the Free World and lifted me on to their shoulders. I was Finland’s first air guitar world champion in 25 years. The previous Finnish champion, Markus ‘Black Raven’ Vainionpää, was there, too. He gave me the biggest hug and said it was “about damn time”.

“The air guitar community is like a family. Our motto is ‘Make air, not war’. It sounds silly, but it’s a real philosophy. People come from all over the world, and everyone is supportive and encouraging. Before you go on stage, every competitor comes and hugs you. Then for 60 seconds you’re allowed to be free, silly, the biggest rock star in the world.”

The competition takes place annually in Aapo, and next year’s dates have already been confirmed for Tuesday 25 to Saturday 29 August 2026. Go on - book those flights now! You know you want to...