It was written by the two artists alongside Keynon Moore, Pardison Fontaine, Starrah, Dave Cappa, Jonah Christian, June Nawakii, Taylor Ross, and Tyler Rohn, and was produced by the latter six and Normani.

Normani went on a two-year hiatus from music after the release of the single "Motivation", in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the return of her mother's breast cancer.

[3][4] During that time period her mother encouraged her to focus on her career and making new music; in the process, "Wild Side" was created.

[5] Normani posted a snippet of "Wild Side" to her social media on February 5, 2021, with the caption, "know it's been awhile".

[6] Cardi B heard the snippet and later joined "Wild Side" according to the singer, with Normani stating "I knew I wanted to do something with her, but I was already in rehearsal for three weeks for the music video.

[11] On July 14, Normani confirmed the title, release date and cover art of the collaborative single on her respective social media pages.

[16][17] MTV News praised Normani's vocal performance, stating that she "delivers her silky verses with serenity and precision, sizzling with temptation and allure with every breath.

"[18][19][20] For Pitchfork, Vrinda Jagota called it "a sultry R&B showstopper", adding, "If 'Motivation' was Normani's jubilant breakthrough, 'Wild Side' is the meticulously crafted showpiece that proves she's here to stay.

[52][53] Less than three months after it was released, the song was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, for selling approximately 500,000 units in the US.

[65] The music video accumulated 1.5 million views in its first ten hours on YouTube, and cracked the Top 30 trending searches on Google.

[67] For NPR, LaTesha Harris wrote "The video amplifies the single's debts to the past: dance moves inspired by Janet's 'Rhythm Nation'; visuals reminiscent of TLC, Blaque and Missy Elliot; and a direct nod to Golden Hollywood entertainer Debra Paget.

[69] The music video received praise and support from fans and celebrities across social media including Halle Berry, Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, and Megan Thee Stallion.

[79] In July 2021, a "Wild Side" dance challenge started trending on social media, with the hashtag #WildSideChallenge garnering 15.6 million views on TikTok within a few weeks, with Brazilian singer Anitta,[80] actress Storm Reid,[81] along with American singers Lizzo,[82] and Ciara participating in the challenge.

[83] English musician FKA Twigs also filmed a pole dancing routine featuring the song that she posted on TikTok.

"[86][87] In October 2021, Aespa member Karina performed a dance routine to "Wild Side" on the South Korean television program Knowing Bros.[88][89] Later that month, singer Bryson Tiller sampled the single on his song "Are You Listening", from his Killer Instinct 2: The Nightmare Before mixtape.

[90] Brazilian singer Pocah paid homage to Normani in a photo shoot inspired by the song's music video.

[100] While Rolling Stone wrote, "Normani stole the show in 'Wild Side', with the night's official instant-classic VMAs moment".

[104][105] Normani "delivered a visually stunning set in a green catsuit, spiky bun, and lucite heels against a bright red backdrop, channeling the futuristic vibe of her music video," according to Erica Gonzalez for Elle.