Not Just The Brooklyn Bird: Kelly Clarkson Has Had Drama With Pricey Purchases Before

You've probably heard all about Kelly Clarkson's row with a Brooklyn novelty store called Art of Play involving Molly, a $15,000 (now available for a staggering $15 million) bird automaton which she claims they refused to sell her under the mistaken impression that the singer couldn't afford it. The incident has ignited a brutal internet war, with some siding with Clarkson, while others feel she's blowing the whole thing way out of proportion. Either way, this isn't the first time that the "American Idol" winner has found herself at the center of drama involving an expensive purchase. 

In 2013, Clarkson made headlines after being forced to give up a ring once owned by legendary author Jane Austen, which the "Since U Been Gone" hitmaker had won at auction for £152,450 (approximately $241,000, based on the exchange rate that year). "I got Jane Austen's ring in an auction — her family, I guess, put it up for auction, and my friend told me about it and so I ended up winning it," Clarkson confirmed in a 2015 interview with the Associated Press. To her dismay, however, the ring got held up in customs after British officials imposed a temporary export ban. 

They cited the ring as a national treasure and indeed, it ended up belonging to the Jane Austen's House museum after a fundraising campaign raised enough money to match Clarkson's winning bid. "It got claimed in National Treasure, which I totally agree, it is a natural treasure for ya'll. But I kind of felt like they maybe should've claimed that before I bought it," as the "The Voice" coach argued with a laugh, before conceding, "As a true Jane Austen fan, I love that it's in the museum." 

In stark contrast to how she handled the ring issue, Kelly Clarkson is refusing to back down in her ongoing spat with Art of Play, which she publicly accused of treating her unfairly based on her perceived financial status. It all began when the pop star took to X on October 10, 2026, to share her disappointment, noting that she'd visited the store hoping to check out and maybe pick up a few items. However, "[I] literally was looked at as if I couldn't afford it and was told he could find something comparable for me," with Clarkson describing what happened after she inquired about buying the bird automaton, concluding, "Wow, dude. You're an idiot and just lost a huge sale." 

In an Instagram statement, Art of Play acknowledged that the singer enquired about Molly, which they claimed was "permanently attached to the wall" and therefore wasn't for sale. The store also claimed that they offered to show her other, similar items instead, including a "nearly identical" piece and another bird automaton "that she could have taken home with her that day" (Clarkson left without viewing them). The "American Idol" winner returned to X to challenge the store's recollection, since that wasn't exactly how she remembered it. 

Clarkson argued that there was a $15,000 price tag on the wall next to Molly, which she pointed out to the staffer in question, whom she said looked her up and down and suggested she wouldn't be able to afford it. "Okay, cool. So you're not only rude, you're also a liar. Got it," the "Because of You" hitmaker reasoned. Finally, Clarkson reiterated that she's normally a big supporter of small businesses, but not if they don't treat customers with respect.