The Heart Wants What It Wants
"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.[1][2][3] 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.[4][5] It is Gomez's last single release under the label.[6]
This article is about the song by Selena Gomez. For the song by Bebe Rexha, see Heart Wants What It Wants."The Heart Wants What It Wants"
November 6, 2014
2013
- Rock Mafia Studios (Santa Monica, CA)
3:47
- Selena Gomez
- Antonina Armato
- David Jost
- Tim James
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. It is certified Quadruple Platinum in the US amd Norway and Silver or higher in six additional countries.
Background and release[edit]
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."[7] In its first day on radio, the song had a listening audience of 10.061 million.[8]
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.[9]
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"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,[10][11] that contains a minimal electropop beat complete with finger snaps, ominous synths and haunting groans.[12] Several critics noted the reminiscence of the song to the works by singers Lorde and Lana Del Rey.[12][13]
Lyrically, Gomez details being in love with a bad boy despite knowing he may not be a stand-up guy.[12] 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."[12]
The title is from a letter by Emily Dickinson.[14] The saying was popularized in 2001 when it was quoted by Woody Allen in an interview about his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn.[15]
According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com, "The Heart Wants What It Wants" is written in the key of G Minor with a tempo of 80-84 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Eb-Cm-Gm-Bb.[16]
Music video[edit]
The music video was filmed in black and white in California and directed by Dawn Shadforth over a year before its release.[28][29] The video received over 9 million views in its first 24 hours. Actor Shiloh Fernandez appears in the music video as Gomez's love interest.[8]
The UK edition of the International Business Times called the video "emotionally charged".[30] Artist Direct wrote that the video contained "a painful, powerful and emotional visual opening."[28]
As of September 2023, the video has accrued over 840 million views.
Live performance[edit]
Gomez performed the single for the first time at the 2014 American Music Awards.[31] In her presentation, Gomez wore a skin-colored dress, and the background consisted of images as dark lights, thorns, roses, broken glass and wings appeared behind her on the screen. At the end of her performance, the singer added the phrase "I thought you were the one...".
Caitlin White from MTV described the visuals as "amazing" and said: "It is a more mature song for Selena, but one that almost everyone in the audience could relate, given the intense and emotional response public."[32] The Wrap's Matt Donnelly wrote that it was "a considerable growth moment" for the singer.[33] Casey Rackham of Zap2it called the performance "beautifully and emotionally intense." She commented that the use of wings was "pretty empowering."[34] After her presentation at the American Music Awards, the song went to number one on the Billboard Twitter Real-Time, position it had occupied in its release.
An instrumental version of the song was used as an interlude on the Revival Tour in 2016.
Recording and management
Personnel
Credits adapted from For You liner notes.[36]