Following the #JusticeForGlory campaign that was launched by Spears's fans on social media during the
COVID-19 pandemic, the singer unveiled a new cover art for
Glory on May 8, 2020, nearly four years after its release. Three weeks later, Spears announced that "
Mood Ring" would be released worldwide on all streaming and download platforms the next day, on May 29, 2020. Later that year, "Swimming in the Stars" was unveiled since it became available for pre-order as part of the
Urban Outfitters's "11/11
Singles Day" promotion as an exclusive
12-inch vinyl single on November 11, 2020; however, orders would not ship until January 15, 2021. The release took critics by surprise, having been released amidst the
#FreeBritney movement and Spears's work hiatus. After the announcement of the song's vinyl release, a 12-seconds long snippet was released by Urban Outfitters via
Instagram. "Swimming in the Stars" was released to
digital download and
streaming media on December 2, 2020 as the fourth single from
Glory, coinciding with Spears's 39th birthday. Two days later, the track was included on the 2020 deluxe physical reissue of
Glory with "Mood Ring" and "
Matches". On the single cover, Spears crouches on one knee in the sand next to broken chains, wearing gold crop top and high-low sarong skirt, which were made of the same material as her bracelets and shoes. She is set to be on desert oasis. On the day of release, a visualiser to the song was published on Spears's
YouTube channel, featuring the single cover with animated soft waves and glistering stars behind the singer. Brea Cubit from
PopSugar called the visualizer "mesmorizing". ==Critical reception==