It was written by Mariah Carey and Willie Nelson, and released as a single on October 20, 2008 by Island Def Jam.

Deconstructing her songwriting process, Carey explains: "It was a different experience from an album project.

"The song is basically a three-act play and chronicles the evolution of Krystal," says Carey.

[4] When the Los Angeles Times named "Right to Dream" as a contender for the Academy Award for Best Original Song the paper described the song as "restrained elegance, with some light, finger-picked guitar flourishes and a dash of late-night soul.

[7] The video features clips from the movie as well as shots of Carey in the studio recording the song.