"[5] In August 2012, Keys revealed the artwork of Girl on Fire and stated that the album will be released under RCA Records on November 27, 2012.

"[6] "New Day" is a contemporary R&B song with house, hip hop, pop and reggae influences,[7][8] and a duration of four minutes and four seconds, which was produced by Keys' husband Swizz Beatz.

"[10] On the theme of the song, Keys expressed that for her, "a new day is the possibility to choose how to create the life of your dreams and letting no one to stop you.

"[11] Jenna Hally Rubenstein from MTV noted that the song is "clearly inspired" by the experiences and feelings the singer had about her son, Egypt.

"[12] She also said that "New Day" doesn't "showcase her powerhouse voice like other signature hits on her cataloge", mentioning "Fallin'", "No One" and "Empire State of Mind" as examples.

[12] Keenan Higgins from Vibe stated that "New Day" was a "strong step back" for her, but praised its "heavy bass" and "powerful" vocals, as well as the "crazy turntable mix" close to the end of the song, considering that it "proves to be an amazing start" for what she named as "another chart-topper" for the singer.

"[15] Katherine St Asaph from Popdust gave the song three stars out of five, and recognized that "the clear inspiration" behind the "clattering military drums, party-hearty lyrics and brash-and-scattered vocals is traceable to one person", referencing Swizz Beatz as the reason for the musical change.

"[16] Jarett Wieselman from The Insider gave an optimist preview of the song, ensuring that "it's an uptempo jam that's perfect for summertime driving with the windows rolled down and the bass pumped up high.