The artist behind the wooden singing bird that sparked a public dispute between Kelly Clarkson and a Brooklyn specialty shop is finally sharing his thoughts on the controversy.

Bliss Kolb, a 70-year-old Seattle-based artist who created the mechanical bird known as Molly, told The Wall Street Journal in an interview published Oct. 20 that the sudden attention has brought him around 100 requests for commissioned work.

“I’ve wanted for people to know about my work for decades,” Kolb said. “I appreciate that she liked it.”

Despite the unexpected spotlight, Kolb is not accepting new orders right now. He explained that the attention came at a time when he was trying to reduce his existing commitments, although he may consider taking on more projects in the future.

“This is happening at a time that I’m trying to wind down commitments,” he said.

What Happened Between Kelly Clarkson and Art of Play?

The controversy began in early October when Clarkson took to social media to describe an alleged negative experience at Art of Play, a specialty store in Brooklyn, New York.

The singer, 44, said she had traveled to the shop because she was interested in buying several items. However, she claimed the staff treated her as if she could not afford what she wanted, comparing the experience to a famous scene from the movie Pretty Woman.

“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 and literally was looked at as if I couldn’t afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me,” Clarkson wrote. “Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale.”

Art of Play responded by disputing her account. The shop explained that Molly, its yellow wooden bird and beloved mascot, was permanently attached to the wall and was not for sale. The business described the situation as a misunderstanding.

Clarkson later responded by calling the shop owner “rude” and a “liar.”

The dispute quickly spread online, dividing public opinion. Some people supported the store and argued that Clarkson was unfairly targeting a small business, while others sided with the singer and shared their own experiences of feeling dismissed by salespeople. Art of Play has also said its employees have received threats amid the backlash.

Why Is the Bird Worth Millions?

Following the controversy, Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin revealed that the shop had raised Molly’s listed price to $15 million because of the attention surrounding the bird.

Rubin said he planned to give each employee a share of the money, pay Kolb $1 million and use the remaining funds to purchase antique automatons.

The price tag is far higher than the bird’s original $15,000 listing. Rubin previously explained that these creations are custom-made and require years of work, rather than being mass-produced items sitting in a warehouse.

Kolb confirmed that building Molly takes nearly a year. The mechanical bird is an automaton, a machine designed to perform movements that can make it appear alive.

An Instagram post from Art of Play’s 69 Atlantic account on Feb. 25, 2025, described Molly as the shop’s “beloved shop bird and mascot.” Turning a crank makes the bird sing, dance and move back and forth. The post also emphasized that the piece is delicate and expensive.

The Artist Behind Molly

Although Molly has now brought Kolb widespread attention, creating mechanical figures is only one part of his work. The artist also makes furniture and specializes in advanced carpentry.

He told The Wall Street Journal that he has around 25 machine designs, including chickens and butterflies. Most of his automata sell for between $4,000 and $15,000.

Kolb believes part of their appeal comes from people’s natural tendency to see life in objects.

“There’s something about humans that they want to anthropomorphize things,” he said. “It doesn’t take much – you could put a sock on your hand and people would start to believe it’s alive.”

While the dispute between Clarkson and Art of Play has brought Molly into the headlines, Kolb’s comments suggest the attention has also introduced a much wider audience to the intricate craftsmanship behind his creations.