Katy Perry performs 'Roar' live for the first time at the VMAs

Katy Perry closed the 2013 Video Music Awards with an epic rendition of her new single "Roar" on Sunday night.

The 28-year-old singer gave her performance in a boxing-ring-like stage underneath the Brooklyn Bridge. According to MTV, she even rode into New York's Brooklyn Bridge Park in the back of a golden semi truck wearing a maroon silk boxing robe with "LIONESS" splashed across the back.

Perry complemented her ensemble with cornrows and a gold-plated microphone.

Before the show, the "Firework" singer told MTV she was ready to show a more fierce side of herself, claiming both her and her fans had grown up a lot since the "Teenage Dream" era.

"They're like, 'eww, Katy, cotton candy, gross,'" she said. "I can't do that anymore."

Regarding her latest hit "Roar," Perry explained that "it's a song about standing up for yourself."

"It's a song about speaking up for yourself and having the strength to do that," she added.