She made a name for herself in New York City, but before Molly went viral her life began in the studio of a Seattle artist named Bliss Kolb.
Earlier this week, singer and former television host Kelly Clarkson called out Art of Play, a home goods and games store in Brooklyn, in a social media post recounting her negative experience in the store. While browsing a specific item, Clarkson writes that she was "looked at is if I couldn't afford it" and was asked about finding something comparable instead.
The object of her desire? Kolb's "Singing Bird on Wall."
Kolb's creation, dubbed "Molly" by Art of Play, is not for sale according to the store. "She is a one-of-a-kind singing and dancing bird automaton who plays an important role in the magic shows
we host here," Art of Play wrote in a social media post.
Clarkson disputed the store's claim with an additional social media post, where she was told the bird cost $15,000 and called the store's employee "rude" and a "liar."
Adam Rubin, a co-owner of Art of Play, told USA Today that the store's phones and emails have been inundated with threatening messages. Rubin noted that the price tag Clarkson saw refers to the potential cost of ordering a custom bird from Kolb.
"We have our automaton. So many people asked about it that we put a price on it," Rubin told USA Today. "We talked to the creator and if someone showed serious interest, we would reach out to him about getting them an automaton."
He also noted Molly's new price after the fallout of Clarkson's tweets: $15 million.
Who is Bliss Kolb?
Bliss Kolb is a Seattle artist and the creator of Molly, the automaton bird at the center of a feud between Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn home goods and games store. Kolb attended the University of Washingotn and Evergreen State College, according to his LinkedIn profile. He's also run his own design company since 1978.
"Bliss Kolb has been designing and building wonderful things for over 30 years: custom cabinetry, furniture, theatrical stage sets & props, and video production," his public profile reads. "Since 2010 he has devoted himself to an early inspiration to create Automata, or mechanical moving creatures."
Kolb is an artist who designs furniture, lighting, cabinetry, theatrical displays and all kinds of automata. In 2025, Kolb traveled to New York City to repair the bird after she stopped singing, according to the store's social media account.
The crank-operated mechanical birds that Kolb creates range in price from $4,000 to $12,000, according to the artist's website.
Who is Molly?
Molly is a wooden crank-operated automata designed and created by Kolb. The bird can make seven different movements and produces a "simple bird song" by pushing air through a brass whistle.
The bird and perch is around six inches high, according to Kolb's website, and crafted from maple and basswood with eyes made of glass. The mechanism that produces the bird's movements and song is made with pine and maple.
What kind of bird is Molly?
Molly closely resembles a number of birds. She's been compared to the goldfinch (the Washington state bird) and the yellow warbler.
Zachary Fletcher is a trending news reporter with USA TODAY Network's Washington state team. Keep up with him on X (@zdfletch), BlueSky (@zfletcher.bsky.social) or reach him at zfletcher@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Seattle artist's creation at the center of feud between Kelly Clarkson and Brooklyn's Art of Play
