What I've Been Looking For

The song was written and produced by Andy Dodd and Adam Watts, and it was included on the film soundtrack of the same name.

[3][4] According to its music sheet, it was composed using common time in the key of A major, with a tempo of 142 beats per minute.

[3] Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel, acting as the siblings Sharpay and Ryan Evans, perform the song in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical (2006).

[3] A reprise version of "What I've Been Looking For" was also composed and credited to be sung by Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, performing as Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez.

[10] In 2006, the song was covered by Mexican synthpop band Belanova for the Spanish-language version of High School Musical, titled "Eres Tú".

[12] During the filming of the commercials for the DVD High School Musical: Encore Edition, eighth grader from Exeter Township Junior High School Samantha Sostak and her sister performed the song with cast member Corbin Bleu.

Heather Phares wrote for AllMusic the song "flirts with satire" in its usage in the film because "[Sharpay and Ryan are] threatened by these upstarts from other cliques invading their territory", in reference of Troy and Gabriella's performance.

Phares considered its melody "so bright" and Tisdale and Grabeel's vocals "so relentlessly cheery, it sounds like a parody of a show tune".

[18] The Christian Broadcasting Network offered a spiritual analysis of the song: "[it is] a great opportunity to look at who God is and His character, including the fact that He's always with us.