American Idol propels many talented-yet-unknown singers into the world of fame, with some faring better than others. Throughout Idol's time on TV, there have been 24 finalists with country roots, and while some contestants like Carrie Underwood and Scotty McCreery are still on everyone's radar, what about some of the lesser-known artists, like Crystal Bowersox?

The Ohio native was the runner-up during Idol's ninth season (Lee DeWyze won). Right from the start, Bowersox made a splash with her dreadlocks and earned huge compliments from the judges. Throughout the competition, she stayed strong, becoming only the third runner-up to never be in the bottom two or three (preceded by Clay Aiken and David Archuleta) and the first female singer to make it into the finale since Jordin Sparks in 2007.

Since her Idol run, from which Bowersox gained widespread attention, she has released two albums. Farmer's Daughter, a 12-track record released in 2010, includes her song "Holy Toledo," which she played during an episode of Idol -- the first time a contestant's original song earned that honor. Bowersox then released All That for This in 2013; she wrote or co-wrote all of its songs, and it also includes a duet with Wallflowers' frontman Jakob Dylan.

"There are definitely more happier, light-hearted moments on this record," says Bowersox of her sophomore project. "There are also touches of some of the darkest places and emotional states that I've been in my past. This album reveals a much more grateful and gracious side of me. It's the next chapter of my life."

Bowersox was also going to show off her acting skills in the Broadway production of Always, Patsy Cline, playing Cline herself, in 2014, but the play was delayed. It may still go into production in the future.

At the beginning of 2014, Bowersox came out as bisexual, saying, "I have been bisexual for as long as I can remember. I just remember being made fun of in junior high for that, and it was something that was shameful. And it really shouldn’t be.”

While Bowersox hasn't had the success of someone like Underwood, she still shows much promise with two records and continues to play shows -- and that's more than a lot of former contestants can say!

Be sure to watch the video above, from Taste of Country's You Think You Know Country? series. You'll find out more information on other former country Idol contestants, such as Vanessa Oliveraz, Kristi Lee Cook, Josh Gracin, Matthew Rogers, Jessica Sierra and more.

What Are American Idol's Former Country Contestants Doing Now?

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