User:PSA/overhaul reception

Critics commented on Carey's vocal performance and Dupri's rapping. Many praised Carey's subdued, more low-key voice in the song —writing for the Popular Music and Society journal, Vincent Stephens thought that "Sweetheart" was one of her best R&B songs partly because of this singing style. Ron Rollins of the Dayton Daily News considered her choice of vocals a testament to her confidence in her singing abilities: "you find yourself straining to hear more of her, which is a neat trick[...] the mark of a fearless, and undeniable, talent." Meanwhile, Andrew Unterbeger of Billboard liked Dupri's ad-libs, writing that his contributions helped make the cover better than the original. Other reviewers commented on how well Dupri's rapping complemented Carey's singing, with some arguing that Carey's performance stood out more than JD's. The Baltimore Sun's J. D. Considine said "Carey's effortless carnality makes Jermaine Dupri's sex-obsessed rap seem almost silly". In contrast, Time's Christopher John Farley felt that the two complemented each other well. The incorporation of hip-hop elements in "Sweetheart" was also analyzed. In the views of Spins Amy Linden and Boston Globes Joan Anderman, even though the song tries to appeal to fans of hip-hop and rap music, its hip-hop influences come across as sanitized.

Another topic of commentary was the song's sensual nature. Critics likened Carey's personality in "Sweetheart" to that of a vixen, a dirtier version of Lisa Lisa, and a submissive Barbie doll. Others gauged how explicit the song's lyrics were: one critic opined that it was toned-down compared to other tracks on Life in 1472, while for another, it was more explicit than most songs that discussed sex. Some argued that "Sweetheart" was suited well for erotic dancing, being called "booty-bouncing" and a strip club anthem. In a mixed review, Los Angeles Times critic Natalie Nichols thought that while Carey's vocals were "sexier and more human than contemporaries Celine Dion and Whitney Houston", "Sweetheart" was too similar to her other works in terms of lyrical themes for it to be memorable. Scott L. Miley of The Indianapolis Star said Carey's attempts to be flirty were ineffective and "unflattering".