On August 24, 2021, Nelly performed "High Horse" with Breland and Blanco Brown on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.[3] On September 1, he performed "Lil Bit" with Florida Georgia Line on CMT Crossroads.[4]
AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine critiqued that Nelly's lone solo track "5 Drinks Ago" seems to underscore how he fades in the background of his own album, but concluded that: "Nevertheless, the mini-album does precisely what it intended to do: it's a chill time, perfect for pop, country, or hip-hop playlists or anything in between."[2] Louis Pavlakos of Exclaim! felt that the record works best when it delivers "radio-friendly bangers ("High Horse")" and is a mixed bag when utilizing modern country music conventions, criticizing "Someone Somewhere" and "Follow Me" for their lackluster "uplifting nature" but praised "5 Drinks Ago" for Nelly's vulnerability and being able to deliver the genre on his own. He concluded that: "Heartland probably won't make a mark outside of major cities in the U.S., but it's still Nelly's best album in over a decade, mainly because it takes risks he hadn't taken since his Country Grammar era. It may be far from perfect, but a reinvigorated Nelly is a welcome addition to an already stacked year in hip hop."[1]
