Katy Perry was denied permission to perform on the Brooklyn Bridge in New York.

The 28-year-old singer is closing the MTV Video Music Awards tonight and was forced to come up with a new plan for her debut performance of her new single "Roar" after city officials refused to approve a permit to allow her to take over the iconic landmark.

"She was supposed to perform on top of the Brooklyn Bridge but the city wouldn't give her the permit," a source said. Katy, whose new single sold 557,000 digital downloads in its first week of release, has now agreed to sing underneath the bridge instead.

Other performers at tonight's ceremony will include Lady Gaga, who will open the show, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, as well as Justin Timberlake, who will perform his new track "Take Back The Night" as well as a medley of *NSYNC hits with his old bandmates.