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Few people can forget the moment quake victim Anna Zizi, 69, was dragged from the rubble, singing at the top of her voice, her face caked in dirt and debris.
Amidst the heartache and anguish brought by the devastating earthquake, music has proved a source of comfort for Haitians at home and abroad.
Those living in France, in particular, say the sounds of kompa help bring their hearts closer to home and soothe their souls.
"For Haitian people, kompa music is like a cure. It helps us to forget stress and the bad times in life," said Original H, a popular Haitian kompa group in Paris, in a statement emailed to CNN.
"Even in the saddest moments Haitian people always sing. Haitian people always laugh. Their hearts hurt, but they really want to continue to live," said Michel Marchand, presenter of "Kompa Boulevard," a program on France-based Radio Espace FM.
Kompa musician Mikael Guirand of the celebrated band Carimi felt the power of his music first-hand. Guirand was in a meeting in the Digicel tower in Port-au-Prince, the country's tallest building, when the quake struck.
He made it out unharmed, but his family's home and his father's business were both destroyed.
Gallery: Haitians performing kompa music
Despite the overwhelming despair that followed, Guirand told CNN that devastated fans threw their arms around him in the streets, overjoyed to see musicians like him had survived.
