The track was written by Lovato alongside Anne-Marie, Jennifer Decilveo, Sean Douglas, Alex Niceforo, Keith Sorrells and Warren "Oak" Felder, with production being handled by the latter three.

The song was originally intended to be the lead single off of Lovato's seventh studio album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over, but was ultimately scrapped from the final tracklist.

"I Love Me" was met with positive reviews from music critics, received several nominations at MTV awards and was named by Billboard as one of the best songs of the year.

"I Love Me" was written by Lovato alongside Anne-Marie, Jennifer Decilveo, Sean Douglas, Alex Niceforo, Keith Sorrells and Warren "Oak" Felder and produced by the latter three.

[4] The artwork is a blurry picture of Lovato wearing a red jacket on a city street with the title of the single in the left upper corner.

[5][6] "I Love Me" music video and song was released on March 6, 2020, on both digital download and streaming platforms,[7] as the original lead single from her seventh studio album Dancing with the Devil... the Art of Starting Over but was scrapped.

[18][19] Taylor Weatherby of Billboard said the song is about Lovato's "battle with her mental health", as exemplified in the chorus, "Oh, why do I compare myself to everyone?/ And I always got my finger on the self-destruct/ I wonder when I love me is enough".

[13] Mike Nied of Idolator called the song a "bop with a very important message", adding it "packs just as much personality as 'Sorry Not Sorry' but feels more elevated".

McMurtie continued with praise for the song's "super heartfelt and raw" lyrics, which she deemed as "containing a meaningful message and good vibes" and that "I Love Me" is "an empowering and perfect beginning to Women's History Month" because it "presents a strong and independent woman who has grown drastically as both an artist and an individual.

[31] Lovato said the video was by far the "most emotional" for her to shoot and explained that it was important to add "special easter eggs" that represented certain times and incidents in her life.

[28] Olivia Singh of Insider said the fight was a reference to Lovato's "personal battles with her demons" as well as her skills in mixed martial arts.

[34] Later, Lovato gets out of the house wearing a red jacket and walking across the fictional "I Love Me St." in New York City, where multiple references to her past are shown.

[34] Desiree Murphy of Entertainment Tonight opined the three men were a reference to the Jonas Brothers, whom Lovato has worked with on different acting and music projects.

[36] On the other hand, Singh wrote the scene represented Lovato "being happy about the good times they shared, but also accepting that they've gone on separate paths".

[12][33][34] Near the end of the music video, a bride and a groom run across the street, which referenced the engagement of Lovato's ex-boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama.

[34] A lyric video of the song was released on March 10, 2020, which shows footage of New York City, including the original World Trade Center building.