[2] Upon its release, Roger Morton of NME chose "Sweetest Child" as the magazine's "single of the week", praising McKee and Youth as "a perfect combination" and the song as a "sentimental, bloodkiss ballad that hits you with an overpowering tidal wave of wonderful slush".

"[3] The Stud Brothers, writing for Melody Maker, felt that Youth produces McKee "to surprisingly evocative effect here".

He wrote, "[Her] exceptional vocals are the centrepiece, but Youth surrounds her with enough atmospheric and smacking dance signatures to carry this one deep into the same crossover territory as U2's current hit.

"[5] Jim Lawn of the Lennox Herald praised it as "a more vibrant change of style" for McKee, with "surprising production from Youth who is more noted for dance remixes".

She added, "It's a larger than life love song with a big passionate sound and the dance music approach actually suits her voice quite well.