Meet Molly, the $15,000 Bird Behind Kelly Clarkson's Viral Feud

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger—or, in the case of one mechanical bird, apparently a thousand times more expensive.

Kelly Clarkson recently found herself in an unlikely controversy involving a Brooklyn specialty store, an unpleasant shopping experience, and a handcrafted singing bird that reportedly costs $15,000 (approximately P946,000).

On October 10, the singer took to X to criticize Art of Play, a curiosity shop in Brooklyn Heights, New York, after allegedly being treated as though she couldn't afford an item she wanted to purchase. Kelly compared the encounter to the iconic shopping scene in Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts' character is dismissed by sales associates at a luxury boutique.

"Just drove all the way to Brooklyn to check out this store I thought looked really rad and had a few things in mind to buy," Kelly wrote, claiming she was looked at as though she couldn't afford the merchandise. She added that the employee offered to find her something comparable instead.

The store, however, offered a different account. According to Art of Play, the mechanical bird Kelly wanted was never intended for sale, although a nearly identical piece was available from its creator for $15,000. Kelly disputed this explanation, sharing a photo showing a price tag beside the bird and accusing the store of being dishonest.

"It's not that hard to be kind," she wrote in a follow-up statement. "Your store is really cool. Unfortunately, you aren't."

The disagreement quickly went viral, with the store subsequently reporting online harassment and threats against its employees. Security footage of Kelly's visit also surfaced, although the recording has no audio to establish exactly what was said during the exchange.

But beyond the celebrity dispute, a question begs to be answered: What exactly is this mechanical bird, and why does it command such an extraordinary price?

The bird at the center of the controversy is named Molly, a handcrafted wooden automaton created by Seattle-based artist Bliss Kolb, who specializes in mechanical art.

An automaton is a mechanical object designed to move through an arrangement of gears, levers, and other components. Unlike an electronic toy, Molly runs on a hand crank, letting the little bird sing and dance without batteries or digital technology.

Modeled after a small songbird, Molly is an intricate example of traditional craftsmanship that combines woodworking, sculpture, and mechanical engineering. Her appeal lies not simply in what she does, but in the ingenuity required to make an inanimate object appear alive.

Art of Play, a specialty shop known for its thoughtfully curated assortment of games, puzzles, magic-related merchandise, and unusual collectibles, displays Molly. She is permanently attached to a wall and regularly features in the store's magic performances.

In a public statement, Art of Play described Molly as a "one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton." The store said a nearly identical piece owned by Kolb was available for $15,000, while another German-made singing bird, priced at about $2,000, could have been bought directly from the shop.

As Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin explained in an interview with Gothamist, purchasing a piece like Molly is comparable to commissioning custom furniture. These objects are not necessarily mass-produced or readily available, making their value closely tied to the artist's craftsmanship and the time required to create them.

In an unexpected turn of events, Art of Play has since placed a new price tag beside Molly: a staggering $15 million, or a thousand times the original $15,000 figure associated with the bird.

"We've raised the price due to popular demand," Adam Rubin told USA Today, following the attention Kelly's viral posts generated.

The extraordinary asking price appears to be a tongue-in-cheek response to the controversy rather than an established valuation of the artwork. Nevertheless, the store owner has indicated that he would now be willing to sell Molly for that amount.

According to Gothamist, Adam said that a hypothetical sale could allow the store to give $15,000 to each of its employees and $1 million to Kolb, with enough remaining to purchase another antique automaton to replace Molly.

For now, Molly remains at the Brooklyn shop, where her newfound internet fame has introduced a wider audience to the fascinating world of mechanical automata. Whether anyone will actually pay millions for the bird remains to be seen, but the unlikely collectible has certainly earned its place in internet history.