"She was very much a raw talent, so building a collection of songs that would become her first album was a time-consuming process. We wanted to find the ones that could knock the door down and put her up there." Famous songwriter Diane Warren was hired to write material for the album, eventually writing "Somebody's Somebody" and suggested that "I Turn to You" would be perfect for her voice. Eventually, Aguilera recorded "I Turn to You" and included it on her self-titled debut album, and the song was chosen as the album's third single. It was sent to U.S. radio on March 28, 2000, while its CD single was released on June 13, 2000. A Spanish version of the song entitled "Por Siempre Tú" was recorded and also released as a single, eventually being included on her first Spanish album, Mi Reflejo. Composition "I Turn to You" is a ballad and lasts for a duration of 4:33 (four minutes and thirty-three seconds). According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing, it has a slow tempo of 62 beats per minute and a key of D♭ major. Aguilera's vocal range spans from the low-note of A♭3 to the high-note of F5. Besides being the songwriter, Diane Warren served as the executive producer of the track, while Guy Roche arranged, produced and programmed the track. Tim Pierce and Michael Thompson provided guitars, Mick Guzauski mixed it, while background vocals were provided by Aguilera and Sue Ann Carwell. Lyrically, the song is about calling upon the love of that special one when times get tough. For Aguilera, the song "is about that sort of perfect love, which we all dream. This kind of song can make you feel safe and warm anytime of the year. And there's no one better to turn to for that than my own mother," she claimed. "For a shield, from the storm for a friend, for a love to keep me safe and warm, I turn to you/For the strength to be strong, for the will to carry on/For everything you do, for everything that's true, I turn to you," she sings in the chorus. Critical reception "I Turn to You" received mixed reviews from music critics, with some praising Aguilera's vocals, while others criticizing the ballad for being too formulaic. In a positive review, Amanda Murray of Sputnikmusic called the song a "truly well-made pop song",