"The Heart Wants What It Wants" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez. It was released on November 6, 2014, through Hollywood Records, as the lead and only single from her compilation album For You (2014). The song was written by Gomez, Antonina Armato, David Jost and Tim James. Armato and James, who collectively form the production duo Rock Mafia, also produced the song. A mid-tempo pop and R&B track with a minimal electropop beat, its accompanying music video was premiered on November 6, 2014, alongside the premiere of the song itself. It is Gomez's last single release under the label.
Music critics mostly commended the song's lyrical content, production, vocals, and Gomez's new direction. The song reached number six on the Billboard Hot 100. It also reached the top ten in Canada, Denmark, Lebanon, and South Africa, as well as the top 40 in thirteen additional countries.
Background and release
Gomez said about the song, "And it's also a step for me knowing like, 'Ok, this is what I'm about to say, and I need to say it when I'm ready' [...] And I think after this year, it's the perfect way to end the year, it's the perfect way to end a chapter in a way. It's like, this is what I'll say about every single person that has judged me for every decision that I've made, for every person, [and] heart that is being judged for something they've done, and now I just want to release it," Gomez stated in an interview with Ryan Seacrest on 102.7 KIIS FM during the world premiere of "The Heart Wants What It Wants." In its first day on radio, the song had a listening audience of 10.061 million.
A demo of the song was recorded by American singer Gwen Stefani under the title "My Heart Wants What It Wants", which leaked online in December 2022.
Composition and lyrical interpretation
"The Heart Wants What It Wants" was written by Selena Gomez, Antonina Armato, David Jost, and Tim James. It is a midtempo pop and R&B song, that contains a minimal electropop beat complete with finger snaps, ominous synths and haunting groans. Several critics noted the reminiscence of the song to the works by singers Lorde and Lana Del Rey. Lyrically, Gomez details being in love with a bad boy despite knowing he may not be a stand-up guy. She sings, "The bed's getting cold and you're not here / The future that we hold is so unclear / But I'm not alive until you call / And I'll bet the odds against it all... / There's a million reasons why I should give you up / But the heart wants what it wants."
The title is from a letter by Emily Dickinson. The saying was popularized in 2001 when it was quoted by Woody Allen in an interview about his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn.
Critical reception
Lucas Villa of AXS favorably compared "The Heart Wants What it Wants" to the music of Lana Del Rey for Gomez's use of "trip hop beats, guitar and distorted Emile Haynie-styled yelps" alongside her "darkest" lyrics yet. He further wrote that the song "stands as a heartbreaking revelation in her five-year-old songbook, one that's vulnerably beautiful and unapologetically honest." Tim Sendra of AllMusic highlighted the song and praised it by calling it "very adult and real-sounding" and adding that "she acquits herself well here too." Popology Now called this song "emotionally charged." The Huffington Post Christopher Rosen deemed the song "a fairly good anthem for those going through heartbreak."
Idolator praised the song: "The Rock Mafia-produced gem shows the former teen queen in an entirely new light. There’s a vulnerability we haven’t seen before as Selena sings about the dark side of her very own fairytale with palpable honesty and conviction" and the editor called it the selling point of an album and added that if Selena follows this direction, many hits will be coming for her." The Times of India editor Kasmin Fernandes added that this song shows her in an "entirely new light." Renowned for Sound was also positive: "smooth dose of pop with a second-guessing love storyline." When reviewing single, Music Times concluded: "Emotional song channels Justin Bieber drama but is still stunning on its own."