Spotlight: Our Valentine of 2026 / Rare Candy / NEW Single “456” out 2/14

Rare Candy is the folky pop manuscript of love created by a young man named Alex from Chicago, IL. Alex Wieringa is the man behind Rare Candy. Rare Candy is every emotion of love and affection of the young lovers mind. Every song, from his debut EP, Cream Soda, to his latest drop this valentine’s day, “456”, is a heart wrenching, soul-churning, tragically beautiful bringing of the pure raw emotion and action of love and what it may bring. He truly encompasses all the feelings of love and shares those deep inside feelings many wish they could express in such beautiful manner. 

“456” starts off softly comforting and giving off some older vibes with a ukulele throughout the whole song, he continues in with a strong vocal tone, powerful, but not harsh.

 Him speaking honestly about his situation and asking for clarity. 

“If you can give me 1,2,3, reasons that I should stay maybe i won’t go giving my heart away, but you’re stumbling & mumbling trying to think of one” // i guess it’s easier said than done // 

but i can rattle 4,5,6, things that i’m gonna miss like the way you say good morning, with a wink, and a kiss, the way that you like sour candy, every time. 

Am i gonna miss calling you mine?” 

This new single parallels to references of many of his previous songs lyrically, almost as if he’s been telling a love story, and adding along the growth of Rare Candy as an artist and man. Both “27s & 10s on 2” from Cream Soda[2017], and “456” refer to the cold, Midwest, Decembers.

“It Was Fun While It Lasted” from September of 2018 shows a variety of comparisons in the true message. The same tone of independent motion incoming throughout the healing and understanding of loving someone and looking for the reasons on why you should stick around to find out what’s right to do. 

Back to the new single, “456” he states: “It’s only ever been you, but it’s okay // We’ll be fine // You found somebody else that’s worth your time // I don’t know where I’ll go from here I’ve already shed too many tears // You and I were flawed by design”. This is a conversation with the loved one, or former lover, and all lovers listening— the conversation of putting love before life. 

“I haven’t ever felt a feeling so sweet” taking listeners back to 2020 for a quick second of Alex’s release of “Far Too Sweet”, another tune on the uke. One of the sweetest love songs from Rare Candy, and probably any artist that’s come across or supported Starwave Magazine [or our editors/team]. 

All of these connections with the new single bring us all the way back to our dear, “Youaround” and “Queen of Autumn split [2017]. Both songs are all on the ukelele, so as “456” is, Rare Candy’s most recent drop from Saturday, 2/14/2026. These two songs, although old, highlight Wieringa’s varying raw vocal pieces paired together with a soft tune on the ukulele; everything from a Rare Candy staple you need. Besides a tambourine, maybe! 

In all of Alex’s music, his lyrics are punchy to the heart, leaving listeners’ throats clenching up, and tears wallowing from the first listen to these tracks within his discography. A Starwave Editor favorite, “Queen of Autumn” is more focused on the needs of the lover mentioned in the song and how the “Queen” has not only changed the entire of meaning of a season to the artist [Rare Candy/Alex Wieringa], but has changed his whole meaning to be the one for her in “Youaround” admitting he “can’t keep up” and more feelings of being “content with [my] loneliness” // “i’ll see you around” leading into the fearfulness of that relationship’s new stage of separation. Even in a relationship where separation isn’t only wanted, but needed, once that intimate connection of trust in one way or another with each other.

He reminds listeners in the lyrics that even though drifted apart, this must be not only goodbye, just an “i’ll see you around”. A lovers tale of time. 

Has the “Queen of Autumn” given direction to Rare Candy like requested? By chance, is the spookiest of the directions given, all that Rare Candy gave a sweet tooth of the little fire within her, and a playbook for how to love the Queen. Pushing furniture out of the way to dance and sing together with one another. 

Writing songs about your lovers, admirably, old or new, is something that takes a lot of pressure to complete with certainty and confidence that “Before I go, you should know, that i still wish you’d show me just a little bit of sympathy. Your bitterness is killing me // you’re colder than the December snow.” (“456”)

He transforms along the years as a true lover-boy yearning and learning to love himself. Now here he stands, to speak for what he deserves now, as a man. “You and I were flawed by design” 

The singer, released his single, “Bottle of Wine” in September of 2024 leaving listeners wanting more. “Bottle of Wine”, released with a heavy hit to the heart of wanting someone to pay and learn a lesson. Something everyone can relate to on either side, as he says “find your way home find somebody who cares i really doubt you feel any remorse you were cold but of course” and other talented artists to his new role of not the boy who wants the girl but the man who has loved and broken and believes that love can happen but questions sometimes arise within that. As love becomes deeper understood it is known to be a verb and therefore a form of action which one must not only speak, but to show to others they claim to love. 

Following his last release prior to “456”, “Love Right Now” from May of 2025, more of a plead of innocence than a sense of pleading is heard within his lyrical style this time. To feel love truly again is an experience of innocence and reflects a beautiful sense of belonging. As if you were to be welcomed with open arms and that was all it took. If one text saying ‘Can I help you out with anything?’ was met by the person who is begging for someone to notice they are struggling underneath, and show them that they belong in this world. 

Other tunes of Rare Candy’s show signs of gratitude, spite, dedication, admiration, kindness, and thoughtfulness within the way Wieringa describes love in his music. Some of our favorite highlight tracks to add to his listeners lover’s catalog are “Queen of Autumn” , “Oliver” , “Feelin ‘17”, “Bottle of Wine”, “Facetime”, with CLRO, “Want You to Know” “Nowhere to Go” and “Far Too Sweet”. 

The tune was something sweet to listen to this valentines day and heading into the spring of 2026, with a standard that not everything that is attention grabbing or pleasing will serve as something beneficial to us always. 

This new single, “456” is, “a blissfully reminiscent song about the ups and downs of a time that’s since passed” says the artist, Alex Wieringa, Rare Candy.

A song reflecting upon the rollercoaster of love emoted and the emotions of loving someone who cannot express love back. So many times questioning, “am I going to miss calling you mine?”, but then saying what he’d really miss— the sweet little feelings a relationship bring when at least one heart is fully invested— finally admitting in the close, “I’m gonna miss calling you mine.” 

This valentine message Rare Candy has sent in his newest release of “456”, this year, available on all streaming platforms, is one of a kind. Uniquely crafted for your lovers. The guarded secret lovers and the most outwardly loving person can share the same emotes with similar situations. 

Love is never linear and this clear long term bond between two things, is one that is beautiful and can be honored for that, but the reality is brought to light, and therefore so is self-worth. Rare Candy used a special kind of ability to show the action and feeling love emotes to others by letting others know the honest raw depth of a situation, by asking questions Wieringa has been able to tell a story about 

always. Just as he did again in his new release “456”, Rare Candy is Starwave’s Valentine of the month. For the Lovers. For the freely, blindly, scared to love but have so much within, and so much to offer, Rare Candy shows us we can still grow out of love and have love in a mature and appropriate way.