Kelly Clarkson’s interaction with Brooklyn store owner revealed in new security footage

New security footage has emerged showing Kelly Clarkson interacting with employees at a Brooklyn store after the singer accused a staff member of treating her as though she could not afford to shop there.

The footage, obtained by journalist Pablo Torre and shared on his podcast Pablo Torre Finds Out on Tuesday, October 13, captures Clarkson’s visit to Art of Play, a speciality shop in Brooklyn, New York. The clip lasts four minutes and 50 seconds and has no audio, meaning the conversation between the singer and the staff cannot be heard.

Clarkson, 44, is seen browsing the shop before examining a mechanical bird automaton known as Molly. She then speaks briefly with an employee identified by Torre as one of the store’s owners. After their interaction, the employee gestures towards another area of the shop while Clarkson continues looking at other items.

The Stronger singer later walks towards the exit before turning back to address another employee at the front of the store. She appears to gesture animatedly during the exchange before leaving. The footage also shows her taking out her phone as she exits.

The video surfaced days after Clarkson publicly criticised the shop on X on October 10. In her post, she said she had travelled to Brooklyn intending to buy several items but felt she had been judged by a staff member who allegedly assumed she could not afford something she wanted.

“Wow, dude. You’re an idiot and just lost a huge sale,” Clarkson wrote, comparing the experience to the treatment Julia Roberts’ character receives in the 1990 romantic comedy Pretty Woman.

The dispute centres on Molly, a singing and dancing bird automaton displayed inside Art of Play. Clarkson appeared interested in purchasing the piece, but the shop’s owners subsequently explained that the bird was permanently attached to the wall and was not for sale.

In a statement shared on Instagram, the store said the artist who created Molly, Bliss Kolb, owned an almost identical automaton in Seattle and was willing to sell that piece for $15,000. The owners also said they offered Clarkson a different mechanical bird for $2,000, but claimed she left before viewing it.

Clarkson pushed back against the store’s explanation, sharing an image of a $15,000 price tag for the bird on her Instagram Stories. The store later said the price had been raised to $15 million following the attention surrounding the incident.

Art of Play co-owner Adam Rubin also said the business had received a wave of hostile messages and threats following Clarkson’s post. The dispute has drawn widespread attention online, with the store defending its employees and Clarkson standing by her account of the interaction.

A source previously told PEOPLE that Clarkson rarely makes private grievances public, adding that the singer was sufficiently upset by the experience to speak out.

The newly released footage offers a visual record of the encounter, but the lack of audio means it does not establish precisely what was said between Clarkson and the employees. The disagreement over how the interaction unfolded remains at the centre of the controversy.