It was co-written by Estefan with Diane Warren and served as the official theme song of the 1996 Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States.
"Reach" was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the ceremony in 1997, but lost out to Toni Braxton's "Un-Break My Heart", which was also written by Diane Warren.
[4] Editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine for AllMusic stated in his review of Destiny, that 'Reach' "rank with her finest work", with the other album tracks 'I'm Not Giving You Up' and 'Higher'.
[5] Another AllMusic editor, Jon O'Brien, felt that the song perhaps is "her finest moment, a motivational power ballad complete with gospel choir and tribal drums.
He remarked that Estefan "has rarely sounded so vocally flexible and confident, broadening her range to wonderfully appealing heights within a softly building pool of percussion and gospel-spiked choir chants."
[11] Dave Sholin from the Gavin Report felt that "the remarkable performer really shines when she has new material that showcases her signature style", adding that the collaboration with pop songwriting genius Diane Warren "results in a production which is quintessential Gloria Estefan.
"[12] Roger Catlin from Hartford Courant said that the singer 'is savvy enough to save her trump card for last—her Olympic anthem "Reach".
[15] Pan-European magazine Music & Media called it a "sweeping ballad dominated by slow, impressive drums which swell to a climax towards the end."
Estefan's voice was complimented as "warm and strong, amplified by a gospel choir, but she wisely eschews any vocal acrobatics.
"[17] Ian Fortnam from NME stated in his review of the album, that "it is 'Reach' that is truly destined to break the global bank this summer as the official anthem of the Olympic Games.
[22] The video was shot at Key Biscayne Beach in Florida[23] and features Estefan standing on a high colossus by the sea, like a monumental goddess.
"Puedes Llegar" was included as the opening track for EMI Latin's Voces Unidas, the official Spanish-speaking album for 1996 Olympic Games.