It was written by Kelly Sheehan, Jacob Kasher, and Mike Del Rio and produced by the latter for Minogue's twelfth studio album, Kiss Me Once (2014).

The song was recorded in London, England on Minogue's 45th birthday in May 2013 and premiered as the album's first single on BBC Radio 2's Ken Bruce show on 27 January 2014.

Many likened the lyrical content's uplifting theme and praised the composition, vocals and production, while critics noted Minogue retaining her classic image.

The accompanying music video for "Into the Blue" was directed by Dawn Shadforth and features Minogue partying and walking down the streets of London while spending time with her on-screen boyfriend.

The anniversary started with her embarking on the Anti Tour, which featured b-sides, demos and rarities from her music catalogue.

The album contained reworked and orchestral versions of her previous songs which were recorded at London's Abbey Road Studios.

[4][5] In January 2014, Minogue uploaded a picture on her Instagram account saying "Happy New Year #Lovers....I wish you all the best and can't wait to share new music with you in #KM2014 ❤️💋❤️#IntoTheBlue".

Christina Lee from Idolator said "While launched by piano chords and a wash of strings, "Into the Blue" truly takes off at the seismic hook, where Minogue's crystalline voice soars over an arena-ready dance breakdown.

[24] Co-starring French actor Clément Sibony as Minogue's love interest,[23] it tells the "story of glimpses into the world of a man and woman, a lost weekend, scenes from a film where the context is not quite clear.

"[23] Shadforth was "inspired stylistically by some early John Cassavetes films" and wanted to make "something with an improvisational style, a fluid camera, and with quite a pure and simple theme about love".

Jason Lipshutz from Billboard labeled it "dreamy" and said that "Minogue's latest visual in unapologetically glamorous, with the pop star and her on-screen boyfriend mixing lavish party life with bedroom-bound alone time and technicolor with black-and-white.

Magazine labeled the video "sexy" saying "Rolling around on a bed, 45-year-old Kylie sexily flaunts her enviable figure - including her toned pins - and locks lips with the topless hunk in some rather racy scenes [...]"[27] In March 2014, Minogue performed "Into the Blue" on the Sport Relief 2014 television special, The Voice UK and Echo Awards 2014.