"Angel of My Dreams" received widespread acclaim from critics with praise given towards the track lyrics, use of sample, and exploration of different genres.
[7][8][9][10] After Little Mix went on a previously announced hiatus following the conclusion of the Confetti Tour in May 2022, JADE began working on her solo projects and music.
[26] JADE told Beat Magazine that she did not intend to disparage her time with Syco but she wanted the lyrics and production of the song to reflect her overall journey navigating the music industry.
[29] It details the story of JADE's career in the music industry and opens with a shot of her walking alongside a busy high street, reminiscent of her hometown of South Shields.
[34] In the video she recreated Mariah Carey look from MTV Cribs, and made references to Victoria Beckham, Christina Aguilera, Kylie Minogue, Madonna and Lady Gaga.
[8][42] In an exclusive first-listen with Official Charts Company, George Griffiths described the song as "a bold and complex introduction to an artist who is determined to twist and test the boundaries of commercial pop music".
They drew comparisons to Jennifer Rush, Rachel Stevens and Harry Styles, stating that the beginning of the track has "heavenly, swooning synths straight out of a 80s power-ballad" while incorporating different genres and electronic elements.
[21] Nick Reilly from Rolling Stone UK described it as "A bold, unrepentant start to JADE's life as a solo star".
They added how "it starts with the most distinctive distorted sample of Sandie Shaw's 'Puppet On A String', before it makes way for a production-heavy, Mariah-esque chorus".
[2] Writing for Clash, Robin Murray gave "Angel of My Dreams" an eight out of ten star rating, describing the song as "a career of success and frustration packed into three minutes, a bold, bravura statement of frenetic creativity, while it's ludicrously colourful, a ridiculously entertaining side-step that utterly wipes the slate clean".
Furthermore, they described it as "A dance-pop anthem, that takes an experimental approach to pop with several distinct sections, from the theatrical balladry of the chorus to the thumping electro verses".
They also added "The way the chorus tempo can sometimes be giving Juice Newton 80s power balladry one minute, and then Y2K Clubland the second time around is just genius work.
[44] In their review of the song, Billboard contributor Conor Cunningham named "Angel of My Dreams" as one of the best single releases in 2024, describing it as "original and attention grabbing".
In the article, they added "'Angel of My Dreams' crackles with well-drawn sonic features, but with the tension between its dreamy bubblegum chorus and steely robo-thump verses representing the warmth of the spotlight and cold behind-the-scenes realities.
[20] Women in Pop called the song an "outstanding, bombastic track - in the best possible way - that veers between multiple genres, tempos and pace, abruptly changing paths, taking you completely by surprise," also commenting the song was "a momentous, extremely impressive start to her career...it both continues JADE's impressive music career but also the birth of a new powerful voice in pop.
"[45] In their review of the song, Stardust described it as a "powerful solo debut that reflects her evolved sense of artistry and resilience".