The accompanying music video was directed by Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, depicting Naté in an abandoned hospital.

"Free" reached number-one in Italy, and peaked inside the top ten in Canada, France, Iceland, Ireland, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

They wanted to release a new album with Naté, and she teamed up with producers and songwriters John Clafone and Lem Springsteen in Mood II Swing.

[5] Three gospel-singers; Audrey Wheeler, Cindy Mizelle and Khadejia Bass were hired to perform the chorus with Naté.

Barry Walters for The Advocate wrote, "One of house music's most independent-minded divas creates an anthem celebrating liberty in general and gay pride for those with ears to hear it.

Considine from The Baltimore Sun described it as a "guitar-driven dance tune", noting its "arpeggiated guitar and sly, melancholy melody".

[10] Larry Flick from Billboard stated that it "shows [Naté] in excellent vocal form, belting with a level of authority that only comes with time and experience."

He remarked that the singer "has a field day with the message of empowerment that fuels "Free", not to mention producers Lem Springsteen and Jon Ciafone's invigorating soul-house groove.

"[11] Pamela Rivers from Columbia Daily Spectator named it the "high point" of the Situation: Critical album.

"[14] Caroline Sullivan from The Guardian complimented it as a "piano-led" hit with "sunny house beat propelled by Ultra's paint-blistering voice.

"[15] Derrick Mathis from LA Weekly described it as "infectious", "with Ultra ordering us — above some righteous backup vocals — to be free and "do whatcha want to do".

Sweet, summery 'Woody Pak-ed' guitars wrap themselves around bouncy bass and uplifting You're free...to do what you want to do... vocals to produce clear catchyness.

"[17] A reviewer from the publication Resident Advisor awarded the song four stars out of five, saying, "This is a solid package from Curvve Recordings.

An absolute crowd puller, and an essential release for any house DJ that is looking for something to fill up a dance floor in seconds."

Irish Sunday Life named it an "anthemic" hit single, remarking that it "overwhelms" the other songs of the album.

[25] A music video was produced to promote "Free", directed by American filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato.

She explained in a 1998 interview, "That's a symbolic situation, a dream sequence, the strait-jacket represents certain limits people put on themselves.

"[35] In 2017, Billboard ranked "Free" number 78 in their list of "The 100 Greatest Pop Songs of 1997", adding, "Ebullient enough of a disco jam to get 1997 confused for 1979 [...] and satisfying enough for its Mood II Swing-remixed 12" version to last for Donna Summer lengths without getting annoying.

He said about the track, "MTV was so big then and this video came along and Ultra Nate had very short hair, dyed yellow and was so different-looking – she paved the way for a different kind of artist.