 "Poison" has received mostly positive reviews from most music critics who praised her new sound and the energy on the record but some criticized the song for being too generic.Scherzinger performed "Poison" live for the first time on the seventh series of "The X Factor" on November 28, 2010, to coincide with the song's UK release.Both the show's judges and studio audiences gave her a standing ovation, with the media later praising her energy, choreography and live vocals.