The song is in the key of G♭ major and has a moderate tempo of 84 beats per minute. The verses are in 7 4 time signature (3+4+3+4) before changing to 4 4 in the chorus [3]
Critical reception
Billy Dukes of country music blog Taste of Country gave the song a mixed review, stating that although Bradbery's "natural sweetness" shines in her "admirable" performance, the sixteen-year-old lacks the experience and conviction needed to be a good musical storyteller.[4]Roughstock responded more positively to the song, which contributor Matt Bjorke felt was right "in her element" and left him feeling "excited to hear what she has in store for her full-length debut album". Bjorke lauded the "timeless arrangement" as well as Bradbery's delivery, which he described as having "the confidence of someone... twice her age".[5]Nashville Gab gave the song an A− rating for "[tapping] into what Danielle does best" and highlighting her "effortless" and "authentic" vocals. The blog cited such influences as The Dixie Chicks and Carrie Underwood in declaring "The Heart of Dixie" exemplary of "country-pop at its finest".[6]
Music video
The music video was directed by Shane Drake and premiered September 23, 2013.[7] The Music video starts off with Bradbery arriving at the Butterfly Hollow along with her friends. There are scenes where Dixie is packing up her things and hitting the road. Bradbery eventually meets an older Dixie who is the owner of Butterfly Hollow.
Chart performance
"The Heart of Dixie" debuted at number 60 on the U.S. BillboardCountry Airplay chart for the week of July 27, 2013.[8] As of March 2014, The song has sold 375,000 copies in the US.[9]
