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. 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.